By the 1700s, the Church’s power had diminished and __________.

As the Church’s political influence declined, European monarchies and states gained greater control over their territories and governments. By the 1700s, states had become the leading political authorities in Europe, making A, “states had emerged as the uncontested authority in Europe,” the best answer. The Thirty Years’ War began in the 1600s, while the Holy Roman Empire had existed for centuries before the 1700s.

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