The Holy Roman Empire and the Church

Chapter 9Section 2

The Holy Roman Empire

• In 936, Duke Otto I of Saxony became the King of Germany. Like Charlemagne, Otto I worked closely with the Church.

• German emperors claimed authority over much of central and eastern Europe and parts of France and Italy.

• Conflict with popes over the appointment of Church officials caused problems for emperors.

Conflict Between Popes and Emperors

• Pope Gregory VII1. Gregory was determined to make the Church independent of

secular rulers.2. He banned the practice of lay investiture- practice which the

emperor or another lay person “invested”, bishops with the ring and staff that symbolized their office.

• Emperor Henry IV1. He argued that bishops held their lands as royal fiefs.2. German princes saw a chance to undermine Henry by supporting

Pope Gregory VII.

• The Struggles Intensifies1. In 1076, Gregory excommunicated Henry, freeing his subjects

from their allegiance to the emperor.2. Henry was forced to make peace with the pope. Gregory lifted the

order of excommunication on Henry.3. Henry took revenge on Gregory when he led his army to Rome

and forced the pope into exile.

• Concordat of Worms1. The struggle over investiture lasted almost 50 years, it ended

when both sides accepted the treaty of the Concordat of Worms.2. In it, they agreed that the church had sole power to elect and

invest bishops with spiritual authority. However the emperor had the right to invest them with fiefs.

The Struggle for Italy • Frederick Barbarossa1. He dreamed of building an empire from the Baltic to the Adriatic. For

years he fought to bring cities of northern Italy under his control.

• Frederick II1. Like his grandfather, Frederick I, he also tried but failed to subdue the

cities of northern Italy.

• Effects on Germany and Italy1. German nobles grew more independent, while Frederick II was involved in

Italy.2. Unlike France and England, Germany did not achieve unity for another

600 years.3. Southern Italy and Sicily also faced centuries of upheaval.

The Height of Church Power

• As head of the Church, Pope Innocent II, claimed supremacy over all other rulers.

• In 1209, Innocent and Philip II, launched a brutal crusade- holy war, against the Albigensians in southern Europe.

1. The Albigensians wanted to purify the Church and return to the ways of early Christianity.

2. Tens of thousands of people were slaughtered in the Crusade.

• During this period the French and English monarchies were growing stronger.