What I mean is would it be possible for an Emperor of the Holy Roman empire to use the 95 theses of Martin Luther against the Pope in a kind of investiture controversy 2.0?
Say the Emperor decides that the pope and a large part of the church is indeed corrupt and he starts to rebuild the Ottonian Reichskirche/ replaces large swaths of high clergy with loyal men (with charges of corruption as reason).
Of course the pope wouldnt allow this but who could the pope depend on to exert power?
Does this give the HRE a chance at reform? Does the Emperor have any chance at all or is he just deposed and another elected?
I think if the Emperor waits until the reformation starts in earnest, with the northern princes converting, that he would have sufficient support to not get deposed internally.
Say the Emperor decides that the pope and a large part of the church is indeed corrupt and he starts to rebuild the Ottonian Reichskirche/ replaces large swaths of high clergy with loyal men (with charges of corruption as reason).
Of course the pope wouldnt allow this but who could the pope depend on to exert power?
Does this give the HRE a chance at reform? Does the Emperor have any chance at all or is he just deposed and another elected?
I think if the Emperor waits until the reformation starts in earnest, with the northern princes converting, that he would have sufficient support to not get deposed internally.