In 909 a new monastic order was founded in Cluny, a city in eastern France, by the Duke of Aquitaine William the Pious. The Duke founded an abbey in his land, as he envisioned to create a way of monastic life that would be different from that of the Benedictine monks. The new order founded a considerable number of abbeys in Europe and established three colleges, one of which was in Paris. The building that today houses the Middle Ages Museum dates back to the 15th century. It was the Parisian residence of the Cluniac abbots. During the 11th century, the order reached the peak of its influence and power. In fact, such was its prestige that it served as a training school for future popes! Yet, the establishment of new religious orders and the increasing competition, as well as the financial problems that weakened the status of the Cluny Abbey, led to the decline of the order after the 12th century. By the 18th century, there were no more than 40 Cluniac monks.