Pope Gregory IV: Investiture Controversy

Beginning in the very end of the Early Middle Ages and after Charlemagne, Western Europe’s economic and social systems were based around feudalism. Feudalism lasted until the 12th century, but during the High Middle Ages the relationship between feudalism and Catholicism changed. Beginning in the 10th century and continuing into the High Middle Ages, the Church was much more resistant to secular control. At the end of the 11th century, Pope Gregory VII wrote the “Dictatus Papae,” a document that expressed these views. Beginning in the 9th century, Western Europe operated by the feudal system, which above all emphasized the power of land. In this system, powerful warriors known as overlords gave land to less powerful warriors known as vassals,

Both of these events were related to Pope Gregory VII, who believed the church should have more power than the state and be independent. The “Dictatus Papae” by Pope Gregory VII expressed these beliefs, as well as the powers of the Pope. One power he included was: “That he alone can depose or reinstate bishops” (“Dictatus Pope,” line 3). This line reflected the Investiture Controversy between the Pope and Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV. Before this controversy, the Emperor had the power to invest power in bishops; however, by including this dictate, the Pope made it clear he believed the Pope “alone”—meaning no one else, especially the Emperor—should have this power. In the end, the Pope and Emperor reached a compromise in the early 12th century, but the Pope came out ahead because he was given the power to invest bishops with their power. This reduced the amount of secular control on Catholics, since it meant bishops no longer owed the Emperor fealty as

In the feudal system, “fealty” was the loyalty vassals owed to their overlord for giving them land. This system forced people to give up their loyalty in exchange for power, which gave power to the state. In this dictate, Pope Gregory VII attempted to take away that power by asserting he could take that fealty away from the overlords, or as he calls them, “wicked men.” Clearly, there the Pope had great distaste for this “wicked” feudal system, so he tried to take away their power over the