On February 28, 380, the foundation is laid for one of the most consequential changes in the world. The Roman Emperor Theodosius issues the Edict Cunctos populos, thereby subjecting all citizens of the Roman Empire to a religion he calls "catholic." From this point on, the state and the Catholic Church are inextricably linked. This creates a powerful intertwining of explosive force that will dominate Europe for nearly 1500 years and whose effects will reach the heights of South America. The few lines of the edict form the overture to a societal and cultural revolution that fundamentally transforms Europe. The book analyzes why the cultural, civilizational, economic, and social conditions in Central Europe reach a low point for more than a thousand years and how secular and clerical feudalism stifles societal development.