Medieval Power Struggles Kings vs The Church Hierarchical

Hierarchical Brainstorm • Knowing what you do about the feudal hierarchy and the hierarchy

Church Justice • Canon Law • Excommunication • The law of the church which

How far could they go • Do you think the pope would be able

The Contenders In this Corner Pope Gregory VII of Rome In this Corner King

The Issue • Lay investiture • A ceremony where a king or nobles chose

The First Round • War of words • Gregory banned lay investiture in 1075

On the ropes • The “e” card • The pope excommunicated Henry and threatened

The Knockout • Showdown at Canossa • Henry crossed the snowy alps as a

The Result • Winner TBD • A gracious Henry rushed back to Germany to

The Result • Concordat of Worms • The fight continued over lay investiture until

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Medieval Power Struggles Kings vs. The Church

Hierarchical Brainstorm • Knowing what you do about the feudal hierarchy and the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, what conflicts could potentially develop between kings and the church?

Church Justice • Canon Law • Excommunication • The law of the church which affected ALL Christians • Banishment from the church – No chance for salvation – All vassals freed from service • Interdiction • Sacraments, religious ceremonies, could not be performed in a kings land

How far could they go • Do you think the pope would be able to excommunicate a king? • Why or why not?

The Contenders In this Corner Pope Gregory VII of Rome In this Corner King Henry IV of Germany

The Issue • Lay investiture • A ceremony where a king or nobles chose church officials • Kings named powerful bishops who were loyal to them • Church reformers felt no bishop should be under the power of any king

The First Round • War of words • Gregory banned lay investiture in 1075 • Henry called a meeting of his bishops and wrote a vicious letter to the Pope • Henry referred to the Pope as a “false monk” and called for him to step down

On the ropes • The “e” card • The pope excommunicated Henry and threatened interdiction • Henry looked for support from German bishops and princes who sided with the Pope • Determined to save his throne Henry tried to win forgiveness

The Knockout • Showdown at Canossa • Henry crossed the snowy alps as a beggar to the Italian town of Canossa • Pope Gregory made him wait three days outside in the snow before ending the excommunication

The Result • Winner TBD • A gracious Henry rushed back to Germany to punish the nobles that did not support him • The Pope embarrassed one of the most powerful rulers in Europe • The question of lay investiture remained undecided

The Result • Concordat of Worms • The fight continued over lay investiture until 1122 • A compromise was reached in the German city of Worms • Only the church could appoint a bishop but a king could veto someone unacceptable