Why did pope Gregory and Henry IV come into conflict?
The pope claimed the authority to remove the emperor from the throne. The pope named a different emperor to replace Henry. Henry’s land was sized by the pope. Henry tried to remove the pope from power.
The conflict between Pope Gregory VII and Henry IV arose primarily due to their differing beliefs regarding the authority of the pope over secular rulers. Pope Gregory believed in the principle of papal supremacy, which held that the pope, as the representative of God on Earth, had the authority to appoint and remove rulers, including emperors. This clashed with Henry IV's belief in imperial supremacy, which held that rulers were appointed by God directly and were accountable only to Him.
The conflict came to a head when Pope Gregory excommunicated Henry IV in 1076, effectively removing him from the Church and releasing his subjects from their allegiance to him. Henry, in turn, sought to remove Gregory from power and appointed an antipope in his place.
This conflict, known as the Investiture Controversy, led to a long and bitter struggle between the papacy and the Empire, with both sides seeking to assert their authority over the other. Ultimately, the conflict was resolved in 1122 with the signing of the Concordat of Worms, which confirmed the pope's authority in spiritual matters and the emperor's authority in secular matters.