Text for 7.32: Conflict Over Investitures with questions
Instructions: Read the texts and answer the questions.
Background: An ‘investiture’ is the action of giving someone an honor or a rank. In this text, the argument is
over who can choose church officials. When the text refers to ‘lay’ people, these are people that are not part of
the church.
Pope Gregory VII: Lay Investitures Forbidden:
Inasmuch as we have learned that, contrary to the establishments of the holy fathers, the investiture with
churches is, in many places, performed by lay persons; and that from this case many disturbances arise in the
church by which the Christian religion is trodden under foot: we decree that no one of the clergy shall receive
the investiture with a bishopric or abbey or church from the hand of an emperor or king or of any lay person,
male or female. But if he shall presume to do so he shall clearly know that such investiture is bereft of apostolic
authority, and that he himself shall lie under excommunication until fitting satisfaction shall have been
rendered.
Source: translated in Ernest F. Henderson, Select Historical Documents of the Middle Ages, (London: George Bell and Sons, 1910), p. 365. This text is part of the
Internet Medieval Source Book. Accessed at: https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/source/g7-reform2.asp
1) According to Pope Gregory, who has been giving the investiture?
2) Are they supposed to be?
3) According to Pope Gregory, who can grant investitures to bishops, abbeys, and churches?
4) Who cannot?
5) What does Pope Gregory say will happen if his order is not followed?
King Henry IV of Germany (1056-1106) in January 1076, condemning [Pope] Gregory as a usurper:
…. we believe that St. Gregory, whose name thou has usurped for thyself, was prophesying concerning thee
when he said: "The pride of him who is in power increases the more, the greater the number of those subject to
him; and he thinks that he himself can do more than all." And we, indeed, have endured all this, being eager to
guard the honor of the apostolic see; thou, however, has understood our humility to be fear, and hast not,
accordingly, shunned to rise up against the royal power conferred upon us by God, daring to threaten to divest
us of it. As if we had received our kingdom from thee! As if the kingdom and the empire were in thine and not
in God's hand!
Source: from MG LL, folio II, pp. 47 ff; translated by Ernest F. Henderson, Select Historical Documents of the Middle Ages, (London: George Bell and Sons, 1910),
pp. 372-372. This text is part of the Internet Medieval Source Book. Accessed at: https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/source/henry4-to-g7a.asp
6) Read the first sentence on lines 1-3. What is King Henry IV accusing Pope Gregory of having too much
of?
7) Where does King Henry IV say his power to rule comes from?
[Pope] Gregory VII: First Deposition and Banning of Henry IV (February 22, 1076)
…. On the strength of this belief therefore, for the honor and security of thy church, in the name of Almighty
God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, I withdraw, through thy power and authority, from Henry the king, son of
Henry the emperor, who has risen against thy church with unheard of insolence, the rule over the whole
kingdom of the Germans and over Italy. And I absolve all Christians from the bonds of the oath which they
have made or shall make to him; and I forbid any one to serve him as king. For it is fitting that he who strives to
lessen the honor of thy church should himself lose the honor which belongs to him….
8) How does Pope Gregory respond to King Henry IV’s letter?
9) Why would this be significant for followers of the church during this time period?
Source: from Gregory VII, Reg. III, No. 10 a, translated in Ernest F. Henderson, Select Historical Documents of the Middle Ages, (London: George Bell and Sons,
1910), 376-377. This text is part of the Internet Medieval Source Book. Accessed at: https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/source/g7-ban1.asp