Reform of the Papacy
A call for reform rang out in the papacy in the 11th century. One big problem with the church at the time was the fact that many lords were involved with the church. One man, Pope Gregory VII, believed it was his job to change that.
Gregory was elected pope in 1073, and immediately took on the task of reforming not only the papacy, but also the whole church. The lay investiture problem was at the forefront of the reforms. Many of the nobles and lords were hiring church workers as their administrators, causing them to have power in the church. Pope Gregory decided that he had the ultimate power over any worldly leaders, but the king of Germany disagreed with him. King Henry IV had always been accustomed to appointing church leaders as vassals, so that he could have some say in the church. This threatened the pope, and it just so happened that Gregory was the one who wanted to put an end to it. Therefore, he issued a decree in 1075 that said clerics could not be given investiture from the lay lords. That is where the struggle for power began.
Gregory was elected pope in 1073, and immediately took on the task of reforming not only the papacy, but also the whole church. The lay investiture problem was at the forefront of the reforms. Many of the nobles and lords were hiring church workers as their administrators, causing them to have power in the church. Pope Gregory decided that he had the ultimate power over any worldly leaders, but the king of Germany disagreed with him. King Henry IV had always been accustomed to appointing church leaders as vassals, so that he could have some say in the church. This threatened the pope, and it just so happened that Gregory was the one who wanted to put an end to it. Therefore, he issued a decree in 1075 that said clerics could not be given investiture from the lay lords. That is where the struggle for power began.
The Investiture Controversy
The whole controversy began when the pope and the king of Germany both wanted to put someone else in as the bishop of Milan, because that also meant that they would have control over that city. In order to get his way, Gregory VII decided to tell Henry IV that he would excommunicate him. The king also had something up his sleeves, and got all of the bishops in Germany to depose the pope. Then pope Gregory decided to excommunicate the king, and freed his subjects who were glad because they weren't threatened by the king's increasing power anymore. Gregory and the bishops and nobles of Germany met in Canossa in 1077, and the king decided to admit that he was wrong, and he also asked for forgiveness from the pope. Pope Gregory waited three days before he told Henry that he was forgiven, since it was the pope's job to grant forgiveness to any sinner who was repentant. The problems did continue though.
Once 1122 came around, there was a new king and pope, and they made a deal also known as the Concordat of Worms. This said that a bishop in Germany had to be elected by the church, not the king. Then the bishop would acknowledge that the king was his lord and that he was subject in terms of secular matters.
Once 1122 came around, there was a new king and pope, and they made a deal also known as the Concordat of Worms. This said that a bishop in Germany had to be elected by the church, not the king. Then the bishop would acknowledge that the king was his lord and that he was subject in terms of secular matters.