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Description
Secular and Religious Quandaries

Widespread corruption within medieval monasticism due to secular interference from the Benedictine order spawned the Cluniac Reform Movement around the eighth century. Problems began emerging when feudal lords became patrons of land that Benedictine monasteries required. Afterwards the lords would often demand the right to interfere with the business of the monastery. The influence of the feudal lords within the monastery meant that they were subject to the authority of the law, instead of the papacy. The lack of organization of the order meant that the monasteries were left exposed to the dangers and vices often associated with the feudal system, most of which the order had extreme difficulty removing. Failure and scandals riddled various congregations and monks often failed to live up to the monastic ideals.
Feeling the need for an independent monastery, the Abbey of Cluny, which the movement was named after, reformed the power structure, such that an independent abbot would have better success at enforcing the Rule of the Benedictine order. The Abbey of Cluny would act as a centralized system of government that all other Benedictine monasteries would act under the Abbey of Cluny, which in turn would act directly under the papacy. Analogous to the United States, the reform would shift power to the center of the order, yet each congregation had its own constitutions at the discretion of the leading abbot which made each congregation completely autonomous. By the twelfth century it had became the center of the Benedictine order, embracing some 314 monasteries all across Europe.
The Cluniac Reform lead to the separation of Church and State affairs, but on the other hand left both sides with a large superiority complex. Just prior to the Investiture Controversy, the appointment of Church officials was theoretically to be carried out by the papacy, but instead was practiced by secular authorities. Because of the land and wealth that bishops and abbots obtained, the sale of Church offices, known as simony, was a vital source of income to secular authorities, namely the feudal lords. The secular authorities would appoint bishops or abbots under their influence because not only did they usually hold administrative positions within the area, but they were also loyal. In addition the Holy Roman Empire had the ability to appoint the Pope, who in turn could crown the next Emperor, thus the cycle of secular investiture would persist.
The opportunity to liberate the papacy from the control of the emperor came in 1056 when Henry IV was crowned the King of Germany at age six. The reformers used this opportunity to remove the emperor’s power over the papacy and declared that no secular leader would play part in the election of popes. Consequently they also created the College of Cardinals, which to this day remains the only method used to elect popes.
Up until the Gregorian Reform, secular investiture was left unhindered. Initiated by Pope Gregory VII, certain groups within the Church and members of the Gregorian Reform decided to address the issue of simony and clerical marriage. First simony was resolved with the list of papacy powers called the Dictatus papae around 1075. In short the Dictatus papae decreed that the Church was founded by God and entrusted with the task of accepting all mankind into one society in which divine law is the only law, such that she is supreme over all human structures as a divine institution, especially the secular state. It also states that the Pope, in his role as the head of the Church is God on earth, that disobedience to him is disobedience to God, and secondly that the Pope was and could never be in error, that he was to be judged by no one, and finally declared the Pope’s authority to depose of emperors. As a side conquest, Gregory VII also took up the struggle for celibacy among the clergy. Though he did not introduce it, he certainly put forth a sizeable amount of energy towards the struggle. Around 1074 he published an encyclical, or a circulated letter, absolving the people from their obedience of bishops that allowed married priests.
Naturally the separation of powers that eliminated the practice of investiture came under heavy resistance, due to the fact it severely limited the influence of secular powers in the Church. The most notable objection came from Henry IV around 1075 when he was no longer a child. He sent a letter to Gregory VII stating his official objection and denouncing his support of Gregory. The letter was headed with “Henry, king not through usurpation but through the holy ordination of God, to Hildebrand, at present not pope but false monk.” The rest of which calls for the election of a new pope and ends with “I, Henry, king by the grace of God, with all of my Bishops, say to you, come down, come down, and be damned throughout the ages.”
The situation grew worse when Henry elected his chaplain as Bishop of Milan, even though a candidate was already chosen in Rome. In 1076 Pope Gregory VII responded to King Henry’s actions by excommunicating him, effectively removing him from the church and stripping him of his crown as king of Germany. Both Henry and Gregory claimed to have removed each other from office, but enforcing these claims was much more difficult. However Gregory had the upper hand, German aristocracy was happy to hear of the king’s deposition and used the decree by Gregory to continue the rebellion that started at the First Battle of Langensalza in 1075. Claiming lordships over peasants, building forts, and creating localized fiefdoms, they attempted to break away from the empire.
Due to these numerous circumstances, Henry IV had no choice but to back down. In 1077 he traveled to Canossa to meet the pope and apologize in person. As punishment, Henry was forced to wear a hair shirt and stand barefoot in the middle of winter. Gregory then lifted the excommunication, however the rebellion were not as willing to back down and elected a rival king by the name of Rudolf von Rheinfeld. Later in 1081 Henry IV captured and executed Rudolf von Rheinfeld and in the same year invaded Rome with the intent of forcibly removing Gregory VII. Gregory called upon his Norman allies, whom simultaneously saved him from the invasion and sacked Rome. When the citizens of Rome rose up against Gregory, he was forced to flee south where he died soon after.
The interruption of power caused by the abolishment of investiture would ripple throughout the Holy Roman Empire. Not only did they lose control over the papacy, but lesser lords would make attempts at higher claims of power. Germany would be weakened for centuries until they were later united in the 19th century.

Description
Secular and Religious Quandaries

Widespread corruption within medieval monasticism due to secular interference from the Benedictine order spawned the Cluniac Reform Movement around the eighth century. Problems began emerging when feudal lords became patrons of land that Benedictine monasteries required. Afterwards the lords would often demand the right to interfere with the business of the monastery. The influence of the feudal lords within the monastery meant that they were subject to the authority of the law, instead of the papacy. The lack of organization of the order meant that the monasteries were left exposed to the dangers and vices often associated with the feudal system, most of which the order had extreme difficulty removing. Failure and scandals riddled various congregations and monks often failed to live up to the monastic ideals.
Feeling the need for an independent monastery, the Abbey of Cluny, which the movement was named after, reformed the power structure, such that an independent abbot would have better success at enforcing the Rule of the Benedictine order. The Abbey of Cluny would act as a centralized system of government that all other Benedictine monasteries would act under the Abbey of Cluny, which in turn would act directly under the papacy. Analogous to the United States, the reform would shift power to the center of the order, yet each congregation had its own constitutions at the discretion of the leading abbot which made each congregation completely autonomous. By the twelfth century it had became the center of the Benedictine order, embracing some 314 monasteries all across Europe.
The Cluniac Reform lead to the separation of Church and State affairs, but on the other hand left both sides with a large superiority complex. Just prior to the Investiture Controversy, the appointment of Church officials was theoretically to be carried out by the papacy, but instead was practiced by secular authorities. Because of the land and wealth that bishops and abbots obtained, the sale of Church offices, known as simony, was a vital source of income to secular authorities, namely the feudal lords. The secular authorities would appoint bishops or abbots under their influence because not only did they usually hold administrative positions within the area, but they were also loyal. In addition the Holy Roman Empire had the ability to appoint the Pope, who in turn could crown the next Emperor, thus the cycle of secular investiture would persist.
The opportunity to liberate the papacy from the control of the emperor came in 1056 when Henry IV was crowned the King of Germany at age six. The reformers used this opportunity to remove the emperor’s power over the papacy and declared that no secular leader would play part in the election of popes. Consequently they also created the College of Cardinals, which to this day remains the only method used to elect popes.
Up until the Gregorian Reform, secular investiture was left unhindered. Initiated by Pope Gregory VII, certain groups within the Church and members of the Gregorian Reform decided to address the issue of simony and clerical marriage. First simony was resolved with the list of papacy powers called the Dictatus papae around 1075. In short the Dictatus papae decreed that the Church was founded by God and entrusted with the task of accepting all mankind into one society in which divine law is the only law, such that she is supreme over all human structures as a divine institution, especially the secular state. It also states that the Pope, in his role as the head of the Church is God on earth, that disobedience to him is disobedience to God, and secondly that the Pope was and could never be in error, that he was to be judged by no one, and finally declared the Pope’s authority to depose of emperors. As a side conquest, Gregory VII also took up the struggle for celibacy among the clergy. Though he did not introduce it, he certainly put forth a sizeable amount of energy towards the struggle. Around 1074 he published an encyclical, or a circulated letter, absolving the people from their obedience of bishops that allowed married priests.
Naturally the separation of powers that eliminated the practice of investiture came under heavy resistance, due to the fact it severely limited the influence of secular powers in the Church. The most notable objection came from Henry IV around 1075 when he was no longer a child. He sent a letter to Gregory VII stating his official objection and denouncing his support of Gregory. The letter was headed with “Henry, king not through usurpation but through the holy ordination of God, to Hildebrand, at present not pope but false monk.” The rest of which calls for the election of a new pope and ends with “I, Henry, king by the grace of God, with all of my Bishops, say to you, come down, come down, and be damned throughout the ages.”
The situation grew worse when Henry elected his chaplain as Bishop of Milan, even though a candidate was already chosen in Rome. In 1076 Pope Gregory VII responded to King Henry’s actions by excommunicating him, effectively removing him from the church and stripping him of his crown as king of Germany. Both Henry and Gregory claimed to have removed each other from office, but enforcing these claims was much more difficult. However Gregory had the upper hand, German aristocracy was happy to hear of the king’s deposition and used the decree by Gregory to continue the rebellion that started at the First Battle of Langensalza in 1075. Claiming lordships over peasants, building forts, and creating localized fiefdoms, they attempted to break away from the empire.
Due to these numerous circumstances, Henry IV had no choice but to back down. In 1077 he traveled to Canossa to meet the pope and apologize in person. As punishment, Henry was forced to wear a hair shirt and stand barefoot in the middle of winter. Gregory then lifted the excommunication, however the rebellion were not as willing to back down and elected a rival king by the name of Rudolf von Rheinfeld. Later in 1081 Henry IV captured and executed Rudolf von Rheinfeld and in the same year invaded Rome with the intent of forcibly removing Gregory VII. Gregory called upon his Norman allies, whom simultaneously saved him from the invasion and sacked Rome. When the citizens of Rome rose up against Gregory, he was forced to flee south where he died soon after.
The interruption of power caused by the abolishment of investiture would ripple throughout the Holy Roman Empire. Not only did they lose control over the papacy, but lesser lords would make attempts at higher claims of power. Germany would be weakened for centuries until they were later united in the 19th century.