Final answer:
The Cluniac monks, unlike other Benedictine monks, sought and achieved independence from secular control, followed a stricter interpretation of the Benedictine Rule with a greater emphasis on liturgy over labor, and had significant influence in church reforms during the Middle Ages.
Step-by-step explanation:
The life of the Cluniac monks differed from other Benedictine monks in several key aspects. The Cluniac reforms aimed to address corruption within the church and the influence of secular authorities over religious institutions.
These monks followed the Benedictine Rule but with a stricter interpretation, focusing heavily on the liturgical life and less on manual labor.
They successfully sought independence from local secular control, which meant that the monastery of Cluny and its affiliates were subject only to the Pope. This independence allowed them a unique position within the church and the broader society.
The Cluniac monks also took specific vows that emphasized obedience, poverty, and chastity, and their daily routine was built around an extended schedule of prayer and religious services rather than the balance of prayer and work advocated by the Benedict of Nursia's original rule.
Additionally, since Cluny managed to control the election of its own abbots, they were highly influential in promoting their views on monastic purity and reform within the larger church hierarchy.
While both groups of monks contributed to the preservation of learning and served as advisors to kings, the Cluniac monks' focus was on ecclesiastical reform and they enjoyed a certain degree of power and independence not typically afforded to other Benedictine communities, particularly in the matters of governance and their relation to secular authorities. This allowed them to help shape the direction of the church during the Middle Ages.