Popes and Kings

Power, Power, Who’s got the Power?

18-1

Objectives

• What was the Holy Roman Empire?

• What was the pope’s role in the Roman Catholic Church?

• How did cooperation with the pope help kings like the early Holy Roman Emperors?

• Why did Pope Leo IX excommunicate the bishop of Constantinople? What resulted from this action?

• Why did Emperor Henry IV ask the pope’s forgiveness?

• Why did the pope make Emperor Henry IV wait three days before forgiving him?

• Compare the power of popes to the power of kings.

Terms and People

• To excommunicate someone means to kick them out of the church.

• Pope Gregory VII expanded the pope’s powers.

• Emperor Henry IV struggled against the church for power.

• The Orthodox Church controlled Eastern Europe after the church split, and did not believe the pope controlled the church.

• Roman Catholic Church controlled Western Europe after the church split, and believed the pope controlled the church.

You’ve left me no choice – you’re out!

Please forgive me!

Many disputes arose between the emperor and the nobles that ruled these smaller lands.

The Holy Roman Empire was a group of kingdoms in central Europe that joined together.

It was never truly united as a country. It never had a capital. It was instead a union of many smaller territories.

Many people thought that this might turn out to be the new Roman Empire.

This diagram shows how the many lands united into one, yet each still kept some power.

The emperor did not inherit the crown. He was chosen by the nobles of these lands.

The Holy Roman Empire lasted until Napoleon defeated it in 1806.

A pyramid of power existed for politics.

A pyramid of power also existed within the church.

Power struggles sometimes broke out between political rulers and church leaders.

For example…

The Nobles Bishops

I don’t much care for the bishop he’s

chosen…

PopeEmperor

How dare he question my

choice!

You bishops should get rid of

him!

Nobles, you should

overthrow him!Alright, you’re excommunicated

Oops, I went too far…… this struggle

developed between the pope and the Holy Roman Emperor.

They wouldn’t dare!

Looks like we’ll have to get rid of

him.

The Emperor Henry IV went to see the pope and ask for forgiveness.

At first, the pope refused to see him, but Henry IV waited outside in the snow for three days.

I forgive you.

At this point, the pope knew that either Henry IV was truly sorry, or at least the emperor recognized the pope’s power.

Not every time a pope excommunicated someone did it have a happy ending.

When the pope disagreed with the Bishop of Constantinople, it led to the permanent division of the church.

This is called the Great Schism of 1054.

Bishops should obey the pope. You’re not the

boss!

The pope excommunicated the bishop, but the bishop didn’t care. He created a separate church.

The church has been divided ever since.

Video on the Great Schism of 1054

Video on the Holy Roman Empire

Video on the Emperor Henry IV vs. Pope Gregory