A Gilded Cross
The Investiture Conflict
Henry IV begging for forgiveness from the Pope and Matlida of Canossa
The right of investiture had been a complicated one since the days of Constantine the Great and the Council Nicaea. Who had the right to proclaim the priest of the land? The great temporal authorities like Emperor Henry IV. Or the Holy Catholic Church led by God’s vicar on Earth the Pope of Rome. This question lead to one of the biggest conflicts between the church and state that would lead to centuries of civil war that would last until the great reformers Art MacAhren, and Edvard Husvák [1] first protested the corruption of the catholic church and their popes in Caux and Plzen respectively. But in 1075s the first steps towards that rebellion were taken. None could have known what they could have led to. Hell, not even the warrior popes in late 1100s and early 1200s when the relationship between the Rome and HRE were the strongest could have seen the reformation happen. The conflict between the church and the secular powers began when a group of clergy known as the Gregorian Reformers lead Pope Gregory VII prompted by their success in the holy land decided to address the sin of simony by restoring the power of investiture to the Church. The Gregorian reformers knew this would not be possible so long as the emperor maintained the ability to appoint the pope, so their first step was to liberate the papacy from the control of the emperor. An opportunity came in 1056 when Henry IV became German king at six years of age. The reformers seized the opportunity to free the papacy while he was still a child and could not react. In 1059 a church council in Rome declared, with In Nomine Domini, that secular leaders would play no part in the selection of popes and created the College of Cardinals as a body of electors made up entirely of church officials which to this day elects the new pope. In 1075 Pope Gregory decided to reinforce his power over the secular powers of Catholic Europe by asserting "Dictatus Papae,” a cannon law that claimed that the deposal of an emperor was under the sole power of the pope of Rome. It declared that God alone founded the Roman church; that the papal power was the sole universal power. A council held in the Lateran from February 24 to 28 of the same year, decreed that the pope alone could appoint or depose churchmen or move them from see to see. By this time, Henry IV was no longer a child, and he continued to appoint his own bishops and he reacted to this declaration by sending Gregory VII a letter in which he withdrew his imperial support of Gregory as pope in no uncertain terms: the letter was headed "Henry, king not through usurpation but through the holy ordination of God, to Hildebrand, at present not pope but false monk". It called for the election of a new pope. His letter ends: “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 was made even more dire when Henry IV installed his chaplain, Tedald, a Milanese priest, as Bishop of Milan, when another priest of Milan, Atto, had already been chosen in Rome by the pope for candidacy. In 1076 Gregory responded by excommunicating Henry IV, removing him from the Church and deposing him as German king.
A stalemate between Henry IV and Pope Greogry VII arose both sides waited for the other to make their next move. News of Gregory VII excommunication spread throughout Holy Roman Emperor quickly and Saxons nobles used Henry IV excommunication as reason to revolt against their king and promoted Rudolf von Rheinfield as a rival king. This forced Henry IV hand if he did restore relations with the pope the revolt would continue and he would lose his throne. Thus he began what would become one of the most famous events in Imperial history. German chronicler August von Heyden recalls. “ Henry IV, humbled by grace of god went to castle of Canossa where his holiness Pope Gregory VII was staying with Matlida of Tuscany. In only hair shirt, Henry stood outside of the castle gate begging his holiness to let him. For three days he did this repenting his sins and fasting. On the third day Gregory VII allowed him into the great citadel and in the Saint Nicholas Cathedral inside Canossa he fell to his knees and begged Gregory VII to forgive him of his sins. Gregory VII overcome by the show of humility granted him forgiveness and absolved him of his sins and that night gave him communion.”
With Henry IV return to Catholic Church he could turn his attention to dealing with the rebels. In a campaign that would last the fall of 1081 Henry IV would push the rebels back and Rudolf would slain. With the Saxons seemingly dealt with he return to deal with Gregory VII. For too long he had force to humiliate himself for this lowly monk but no longer, Henry IV was about to take back what was rightfully his. In 1082 Henry named Bishop Wibert of Revenna as the true pope of Rome and began to march south to depose of the troublesome Gregory VII. Gregory VII in desperation turned to an ally, Roger I count of Sicily for help. Roger I being one of the leaders of the Crusade was seen in good lights by the pope and was seen as a noble and brave warrior that could assist him in this time of need. Gregory offering him the title of King of Sicily asked Roger I to hold the Henry IV back. Roger having just returned from the crusade agreed and turned his army north to deal with Henry IV meeting with Matlida of Tuscany and Gregory forces outside of Rome. Roger I rode into the city and meet with the pope and Matlida were they devised a plan to meet Henry IV outside of Rome and crush him. Roger I at the head of the army rode up the main road along the river Tiber and prepared for battle outside of the town of Orte. Roger I deployed his forces on the mouth of the river with a some what wet bog of his left flank that would render the imperial cavalry ineffective. The Norman had undoubtedly had fewer men thus could not be carless with what they did with them. Roger I deployed his veteran Norman troops on the both flanks, led by Bohemond[2], son of Robert Gusicard, and Jordan his bastard son respectively, and kept the Tuscan and Papal force to serve as the center. In reserve he decided to keep a force veteran Greek and Armenians soldiers that Roger Guiscard had recruited throughout his campaigns in the east. The Armenians were heavily armoured and were seen by many throughout the army as Roger’s shock troops these lead by Tigran Vratisan[3]. The Greeks wore a lighter set of armour and known for their speed on the battlefield these troops were lead by Greek mercenary named Draganos Taronites. The German troops deployed in such of fashion in which best to use their numbers to their advantage. But the Tiber removed the maneuverability of their cavalry and troops. On the morning of March 3rd 1081 Henry march towards Norman lines outside of the town. The Battle of Orte had begun. The battle began with the German archers laying down covering fire upon the Norman troops to allow their main body of troops to advance. But after years of fighting Arabs who use a lot of arrow based tactics the discovered how to defend against such attacks. As the German army drew closer and closer Roger I began to witness the German cavalry creeping up upon the right flank. Roger I sent Draganos and his cavalry to harass the German cavalry hoping that their discipline would break and they would charge the Greeks. This very thing occurred, as the German knight grew enraged with constant bombardment with arrows and chased after them exhausting their horses. Roger I leading a division of cavalry personally struck Henry’s cavalry and with the help go Draganos routed them and captured several high-ranking knights. Meanwhile in the main battle lines the German numbers began to overwhelm Italian armies. The Norman flanks hold back the German troops from overwhelming their flanks. The Bohemond began to fall back and retreat. Panic began to spread only the arrival of Matlida herself prevented the Tuscans from being routed. Undisciplined German troops began to chase after Bohemond leaving the German flank exposed. Then the Aremians charged right into the exposed flank lead by their fearless leader Tigran who charged head long into battle carrying a massive hammer and screaming with a bloody frenzy that made the German blood curdle. The Germans were completely caught off guard and began to panic. Off the Normans that broke and fled they turn right around and smashed into the unexpecting German who up until moments ago thought they were winning the battle reviling that Bohemond had feigned his retreat. The deathblow arrived when hundreds of Greek and Norman Knights charged the German archers decimating them, and then almost immediately smashing into the rear of German army. They shattered almost immediately and ran from the field of battle. Henry IV attempted to rally his men but to no avail. The battle was lost Pope Gregory VII had dealt a death blow to all of Henry IV ambitions, The Anti Pope Clement III was capture a dragged to Rome, the Popes of Rome now ruled supreme over Europe.
Roger I at the Battle of Orte
Henry IV limbed across with what was left of his army. Revolts sparked across the country. In the north the Saxons had chosen a new king to replace Herman of Salm. In Italy the Italians sick of German rule threw out Henry IV garrisons and stole the iron crown crowning a noble named Albert Azzo d’Este[4] as the new king of Italy. Revolt began to rip the Holy Roman Empire apart. Back in Rome a trial for the Anti-Pope began. Within a matter of days he was sentence to death for heresy and burnt at the stake. Finally on November 17, 1082 Roger I gained what he had always wanted Pope Gregory VII coronated King Roger I of Sicily ruler over the land of Sicily, Naples, Peloponnese and the islands of Crete, Rhodes, and Cyprus. But this would be the last major act as Pope as Gregory would die that January of a fever. Upon his deathbed he desired to see Desiderius of Monte Casino succeeded. But Desiderius fled to Monte Casino having no desire of becoming pope. Conclave refused to happen without his presence. For days this awkward standoff between the man that the cardinal clearly wanted to make pope and the man who refused to accept it. When rumors began to spread that Otho de Lagery would be a suitable candidate for the position, Roger I and Matlida gathered their men and dragged Desiderius from Monte Casino and thrusted upon him the papal tiara giving him the named Victor III and conclave named him the Pope a day later. In Germany Herman of Salm was rising in power people began to flock to his banner as he offered to restore the empire to former glory and restore it god’s grace. Herman marched toward Swabia were he deposed Henry puppet duke and put in power a minor Saxon noble named Nikolaus Steffen[4] as the new duke. Henry IV attempted to rally whatever support he had but could find little. He took his ragtag army and marched it to Goppingen outside of Stuttgart were Herman had just finished installing Nikolaus as Duke. There a short battle began, but the battle had already been won before it began. Herman routed Henry IV supporters Henry IV had been slain with a stab in the back with a spear. Herman then travelled to Frankfurt was he was coronated Holy Roman Emperor and began negotiations with the Pope. The terms were harsh but Herman agreed to them. Herman was forced to recognize the Pope right to depose the Emperor and force Herman to recognize that Albert Azzo was the rightful king of Italy. Bertha of Savoy and Conrad, Henry IV, wife and son were allowed to flee into France and become exiles. A new age had dawned in Europe an age of Papal superiority over Europe from Orte to when MacAhren and Husvák first protests the Church’s power and corruption began. All earthly realms were now secondary to power of Popes of Rome. It would be power they could to abuse.
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[1] Art MacAhren and Edvard Husvák are two priest who see church corruption as a major problem and attempt to reform it. But the Pope refuses to listen so they begin to protest the church, Art by giving his lecture at Caux and Husvák by writing Codices of a True Christian. Thus beginning the Reformation (which is early in ATL)
[2] Bohemond of Antioch who never become prince of Antioch and thus becomes the major land hold in Naples and the second most power lord in Sicily
[3] Would eventually become the Count of Iraklion. Through marriage and the skills of his grand son Sergius would link the family to royal family and the halls of power. The Vratisan family would eventually play a key role in the war of Sicilian succession by being one of the major claimants
[4] The Este family rule over Milan and Parma. Genoa will break off from Italy upon Albert Azzo death.
[5] Nikolaus Steffen is the founder of one of the most important royal families in Europe. The Steffen dynasty would dominate Europe for 126 years redefining Europe and restoring the power of the Holy Roman Empire. Upon the deposition by the electors imperial power is shattered as the War of 4 Emperors occur reversing all of the von Steffen success.