Questions: The Christian conflict in Europe known as the Protestant embroiled European kingdoms in disputes that distracted them from schemes of colonization and conquest.

The answer is "Reformation": The Christian conflict in Europe known as the Protestant Reformation embroiled European kingdoms in disputes that distracted them from schemes of colonization and conquest.

Explanation:

1. Protestant Reformation: This was a major religious movement in the 16th century that led to the division of Christianity in Western Europe between Roman Catholicism and the new Protestant traditions. It began with Martin Luther's Ninety-Five Theses in 1517 and resulted in significant political, social, and religious upheaval. The conflicts and wars that ensued, such as the Thirty Years' War, diverted the attention and resources of European kingdoms from overseas expansion and colonization.

2. Other Options:

   • If the blank were filled with "Crusades," it would be incorrect because the Crusades were a series of religious wars in the medieval period aimed at reclaiming the Holy Land from Muslim control, not a conflict within Christianity itself.
   • "Inquisition" would also be incorrect as it refers to the institution within the Catholic Church that aimed to combat heresy, rather than a broader conflict between different Christian denominations.
   • "Schism" could refer to the Great Schism of 1054 between the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches, but it does not specifically address the Protestant movement and its impact on European politics and colonization.

By focusing on the Protestant Reformation, we accurately identify the period and nature of the conflict that had significant implications for European kingdoms and their global ambitions.