第29节

years.

In the middle of the eleventh century there had been a

strong movement for reform in the church. The election of the

Popes, thus far, had been a most irregular affair. It was to the

advantage of the Holy Roman Emperors to have a well-disposed

priest elected to the Holy See. They frequently came

to Rome at the time of election and used their influence for

the benefit of one of their friends.

In the year 1059 this had been changed. By a decree of

Pope Nicholas II the principal priests and deacons of the

churches in and around Rome were organised into the so-

called College of Cardinals, and this gathering of prominent

churchmen (the word ``Cardinal'' meant principal) was given

the exclusive power of electing the future Popes.

In the year 1073 the College of Cardinals elected a priest

by the name of Hildebrand, the son of very simple parents in

Tuscany, as Pope, and he took the name of Gregory VII.

His energy was unbounded. His belief in the supreme powers

of his Holy Office was built upon a granite rock of conviction

and courage. In the mind of Gregory, the Pope was not only

the absolute head of the Christian church, but also the highest

Court of Appeal in all worldly matters. The Pope who had

elevated simple German princes to the dignity of Emperor

could depose them at will. He could veto any law passed by

duke or king or emperor, but whosoever should question a

papal decree, let him beware, for the punishment would be

swift and merciless.

Gregory sent ambassadors to all the European courts to

inform the potentates of Europe of his new laws and asked

them to take due notice of their contents. William the Conqueror

promised to be good, but Henry IV, who since the age

of six had been fighting with his subjects, had no intention of

submitting to the Papal will. He called together a college of

German bishops, accused Gregory of every crime under the

sun and then had him deposed by the council of Worms.

The Pope answered with excommunication and a demand

that the German princes rid themselves of their unworthy ruler.

The German princes, only too happy to be rid of Henry, asked

the Pope to come to Augsburg and help them elect a new Emperor.

Gregory left Rome and travelled northward. Henry,

who was no fool, appreciated the danger of his position. At

all costs he must make peace with the Pope, and he must do

it at once. In the midst of winter he crossed the Alps and

hastened to Canossa where the Pope had stopped for a short

rest. Three long days, from the 25th to the 28th of January

of the year 1077, Henry, dressed as a penitent pilgrim

(but with a warm sweater underneath his monkish garb),

waited outside the gates of the castle of Canossa.

Then he was allowed to enter and was pardoned for

his sins. But the repentance did not last long.

As soon as Henry had returned to Germany, he behaved

exactly as before. Again he was excommunicated. For the

second time a council of German bishops deposed Gregory,

but this time, when Henry crossed the Alps he was at

the head of a large army, besieged Rome and forced Gregory

to retire to Salerno, where he died in exile. This first violent

outbreak decided nothing. As soon as Henry was back in

Germany, the struggle between Pope and Emperor was continued.

The Hohenstaufen family which got hold of the Imperial

German Throne shortly afterwards, were even more independent

than their predecessors. Gregory had claimed that the

Popes were superior to all kings because they (the Popes) at

the Day of Judgement would be responsible for the behaviour

of all the sheep of their flock, and in the eyes of God, a king

was one of that faithful herd.

Frederick of Hohenstaufen, commonly known as Barbarossa

or Red Beard, set up the counter-claim that the Empire

had been bestowed upon his predecessor ``by God himself''

and as the Empire included Italy and Rome, he began a campaign

which was to add these ``lost provinces'' to the northern

country. Barbarossa was accidentally drowned in Asia Minor

during the second Crusade, but his son Frederick II, a brilliant

young man who in his youth had been exposed to the civilisation