Henry IV
(Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor)
1050–1106 |
Henry IV, made king at the age of six and ruling for fifty years as leader of Germany and the Holy Roman Empire, was known primarily for his many wars with the Saxons and the infamous Investiture Controversy—a battle of wills with the Pope that resulted in his excommunication. While unruly as a young man, he grew into an able diplomat who was largely successful in battle.
Henry at first adhered closely to Catholic Church teachings, if only for want of Papal support, but his apparent weakness led Pope Gregory VII to challenge his authority in selecting church officials, claiming that only the pope could control such appointments and dismissals. Henry, however, refused to regard the power of the Papacy and instead continued to appoint German bishops at his will. Then, on Christmas night, Gregory VII was kidnapped and imprisoned, an assault for which he blamed the king. Henry declared Gregory deposed, and the pope responded by excommunicating him. The next January, Henry stood outside the church of Cassanova, where the Pope had taken refuge, begging that his punishment might be rescinded. The Pope relieved him of his sentence, imposing several conditions on him, but Henry, once again in Church favor, promptly violated them.
While Henry was away with the pope, his brother-in-law Rudolph had meanwhile declared himself anti-king. The population revolted and drove him and other plotters out of the city and to Saxon, where Henry systematically deprived them of territory. After a defeat of Henry’s forces, however, the rebellion returned with the favor of Pope Gregory, who once again excommunicated the king. The rival kings met at Wiesse Elster River, where Rudolph was mortally wounded and died the next day. Another imposter also tried to take Henry’s place, but he was quickly defeated.
In 1084, Gregory was deposed and Henry crowned Holy Roman Emperor. Victor III took over the position of pope, excommunicating both the Emperor. Chaos ensued, as another pretender arose to take the throne and the Lombards rebelled against Henry. His own son sided against him as well, and Henry deposed him in favor of his younger son. The situation worsened when Henry was excommunicated again by Victor’s successor, and, at the direction of his once-loyal son, the Emperor was forced to resign his crown.
Key events during the life of Henry IV:
| Born | |
| Crowned king of Germany | |
| Kidnapped by German nobles led by archbishop | |
| Fought Southern Italians at the request of the Pope | |
| Married Bertha of Maurienne | |
| Tried and failed to divorce his wife | |
| Investiture Controversy | |
| Excommunicated | |
| Rudolph crowned himself anti-king and led revolt against Henry | |
| Seiged Rome | |
| Became Holy Roman Emperor | |
| Excommunicated by Victor III | |
| Was cut off from Germany for 4 years | |
| Forced to abdicate the throne | |
| Died |
Other Resources
| Henry the Emperor in | Stories from German History by Florence Aston |
| Emperors and Popes in | Germany: Peeps at History by John Finnemore |
| Triumph of Papacy over Empire in | The Story of the Middle Ages by Samuel B. Harding |
| Henry IV in | The History of Germany by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall |
| Holy Roman Empire: Pope and Emperor in | The Story of Europe by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall |
| Fortunes of Henry the Fourth in | Historical Tales: German by Charles Morris |
Image Links | ||
|---|---|---|
 Henry IV at Canossa in Stories from German History |
 Henry IV. at Canossa in The Story of the Middle Ages |
 Henry IV. Vowing to Drag the Pope from his Throne in Greatest Nations - Germany |
Henry IV. at Canossa in Greatest Nations - Germany |
 Henry IV. Rewarding the Citizens of Worms for their Support in Greatest Nations - Germany |
 Henry IV. Seeking Entrance to Canossa in Greatest Nations - Germany |
| Pope Gregory VII | Tested wills with Holy Roman Emperor, Henry IV over 'investiture' issues. |
| Roger of Sicily | Formed the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily, a great sea power of southern Italy for 7 centuries. |