Why did pope Gregory and Henry IV come into conflict?

Answer 1

Pope Gregory VII (1073-1085) and Henry IV, the Holy Roman Emperor (1084-1105), came into conflict primarily due to the issue of investiture. Investiture was the practice in medieval Europe where secular rulers, such as emperors and kings, appointed bishops and abbots, granting them spiritual authority.

Gregory VII believed that it was the sole jurisdiction of the church to appoint and invest bishops and abbots, as it involved the transfer of spiritual power. He argued that secular rulers should have no influence over these appointments. This concept, known as the Gregorian reform, aimed to assert the independence and authority of the church from secular powers.

Henry IV, on the other hand, believed that as the Holy Roman Emperor, he had the right to appoint bishops and abbots, as it enabled him to maintain control over the church and secure political loyalty. He viewed the power of investiture as a way to strengthen his position and influence within his realm.

The conflict between Gregory VII and Henry IV escalated in 1076 when Gregory issued a decree called the Dictatus Papae, which included the prohibition of lay investiture. Henry responded by summoning a council and deposing Gregory, declaring that he had forfeited the papal throne. In turn, Gregory excommunicated Henry and released his subjects from their allegiance to the emperor.

This led to a power struggle where both Gregory and Henry sought support from various factions within Europe. Eventually, in 1077, Henry traveled to Canossa, where Gregory was residing, to seek absolution and reconciliation. After a three-day penance where he stood outside the castle barefoot in the snow, Gregory lifted the excommunication.

Despite this temporary reconciliation, the conflict between the papacy and the Holy Roman Empire continued for several years, with both sides reasserting their positions and seeking support from different European powers. The Investiture Controversy, as it came to be known, would only be fully resolved in 1122 with the signing of the Concordat of Worms, which recognized the compromise that bishops would be appointed by clergy within the church, but their election would require the approval of the secular ruler.