Ben McBee

2. The conflict between Pope Gregory VII and King Henry IV would have profound implications on the relation between secular and sacred powers in the European Medieval world.

To start, the stage was set for this clash many years before with the “marriage” between the Kingdom of the Franks and the Catholic Church in the year 751, when Pope Zachary called on Pepin III for protection from the Lombards in Italy. In exchange for his assistance, Frankish bishops anointed Pepin III the official king. This was the first instance where the pope assumed the authority to appoint a king. (Madigan, 71).

The question of who possessed the ultimate power, however, would remain unanswered and essentially avoided, until Gregory VII began to assert his ideas of reformation in the church around 1073. While he is not the first church authority to tackle the concept of lay investiture, or more specifically, the appointment of cleric and other sacred positions by a king or emperor, Gregory VII did push this issue to a tipping point.

Following Gregory VII’s document The Dictates of the Pope, in which he lays down several new laws, one of the most striking being the ability of the pope to depose emperors, King Henry IV decides to test this new decree. Henry IV strongly pushes for his own candidate to assume the role of archbishop of Milan, thus incurring the wrath of Pope Gregory VII.

a. In response to the pope’s initial warning, Henry IV responds in kind. By addressing his letter to the “false monk”, Henry IV sets the tone for his letter by denouncing the veracity of Gregory’s claim to the papal throne. To add even further insult, Henry uses the name Hildebrand instead of Gregory, purposefully ignoring his papal name, instead choosing the pope’s birth name. Henry writes, “You have deserved such a salutation as this because of the confusion you have wrought…the bishops, and the priests, anointed of the Lord as they are – you have trodden them under foot like slaves” (Rosenwein, 258-259). Henry views Gregory’s actions as an upset to the status quo, an act ill fitting of a pope. When leadership is needed, Henry says Gregory has, “sedulously used this knowledge not for edification, but for destruction”, and where the papal authority is lacking, Henry cites the strength of his own power, claiming, “Our Lord, Jesus Christ, has called us to kingship, but has not called you to priesthood,” (Rosenwein, 259). So as a representative of Christ, Henry IV is by his own perception, the true holy authority in the world, especially over a “false monk” who utilized money and the sword to gain the throne of peace. One striking use of scripture Henry IV employs is 1st Peter 2:17, where Saint Peter says, “Fear God, honor the king”. Since Gregory disrespects the king, he therefore must not fear God.
b. Pope Gregory VII responds with more words, but even more action. He holds his own synod, where he exercises his ability to excommunicate and depose King Henry IV. As a result many of the bishops who had originally supported the king, abandoned him. Gregory writes a letter to Hermann of Metz, a Frankish bishop who had opposed Henry IV’s denouncement of Gregory. In this document, Gregory provides Metz with evidence for the excommunication of the king, so as to draw additional bishops away from supporting the Henry IV. Firstly, Gregory recalls when Pope Zachary utilized his power to appoint Pepin III king many years prior, and in doing so, deposed of the existing Frankish king. Gregory’s actions are simply another example of this scenario. He goes on to say, “When a man denies that he can be bound by the chain of the church…altogether separates himself from Christ” (Rosenwein, 261). As for the bishops who have associated with the excommunicated king, they have committed a heinous crime by proudly resisting the apostolic see, and will be treated with excommunication as well (Rosenwein, 261).