Final answer:
The question revolves around the historical shift in power dynamics due to the rise of literacy and the availability of the Bible in vernacular languages, leading to decreased monarchical and Church control.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement suggests that the King did not control the people, as they could independently read and understand the Bible, hinting at the changing power dynamics between the monarchy and the religious and literate populace during a period where the Church's influence was beginning to wane. This shift is often associated with the rise of Protestantism and the spread of literacy, associated with the Protestant Reformation and the invention of the printing press.
The translation of the Bible into vernacular languages and the invention of Gutenberg's printing press significantly diminished the clergy's role as the sole interpreters of scripture, decentralized religious authority, and contributed to diminishing the absolute power of the monarchy.
The available evidence demonstrates that the weakening of the Church's control over theological and political matters began with the translation and wider dissemination of the Bible. People were no longer solely dependent on the Church for religious guidance. This newfound ability to interpret scripture independently played a role in reducing the monarch's power, as religion was a significant means through which they exercised control.