How did the papal interdict weaken the English church during King John’s reign?

During the reign of King John, the papal interdict imposed by Pope Innocent III (1208–1213) significantly weakened the English church by leaving it defenseless against the king’s financial demands.1

Because an interdict involves the withholding of certain sacraments and clerical offices from a territory to enforce obedience, it effectively disrupted the normal functioning of the church. During this period, King John exploited the situation by seizing the revenues of vacant or appropriated sees and abbeys, ultimately amassing more than £100,000. While the subsequent excommunication of the king in 1209 deprived him of some of his ablest administrators, the church itself remained vulnerable to his fiscal exploitation until he finally accepted the Pope's terms and the appointment of Stephen Langton as Archbishop of Canterbury.231