Throughout history, there has been a complicated connection between the Catholic Church and the Roman Emperors that has entailed both cooperation and confrontation. The Catholic Church received assistance and security from various Roman Emperors, and the Church in turn gave the Emperors legitimacy and moral authority. However, there were also times of angst and disagreement, particularly in relation to topics like the Pope's power and the place of religion in politics. In the end, the dynamic between the two institutions changed over time in response to the unique conditions of each period.