The Investiture Controversy Of King Henry IV

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The investiture controversy was a battle over who the highest official was of the church; the Pope or the King. Emperor Henry III (1039-1056) and his son King Henry IV (1056-1106) struggled with Milan because the people were rioting against their corrupt church. In Milan it was normal for bishops, priests, cardinals, and even Pope’s to have wives or concubines. From these relations, the men of the church had daughters with dowries and sons with inheritance in the form of land and power that came from the church, which is against the law. The main issues of the investiture controversy were the King and Pope not knowing where their power over the church began and ended, and the common people being upset with their corrupt church.
The Pope is the ordained head of the church, but King Henry IV did not like taking orders from Pope Gregory VII. Because God ordains the King, Henry believed he was the true head of the church. Some believed the King to be just another Christian, some believed he was the head of the church, …show more content…

Henry IV wrote a letter to Pope Gregory VII in 1076, saying “Henry, king not through usurpation but through the holy ordination of God, to Hildebrand (Pope Gregory VII), at present not Pope but false monk,” (Henry IV). In response to this letter Gregory VII wrote later in 1076; “I believe it to be… that the Christian people… should obey me,” (Gregory VII). The country of Italy wondered who would be the next archbishop of Milan. If the radicals had their way they would have chosen Pope Gregory VII, anything to get their old corrupt bishop out of power. Gregory ex-communicated and cursed King Henry. Being ex-communicated from the church meant Henry was not technically King and that every Christian should turn away from him. This infuriated Henry but there was nothing he could do, especially after being

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