Amalia Z
Summary: The two letters tell the story of each side of the movement for church reform and its repercussions. Henry IV writes from the royal view, while Gregory VII writes (in response to Henry VI’s letter) from the papal view. The movement originally had support from both the empire and the papacy, however, when the decision about leadership came to the table, conflict arose. Gregory VII was displease that Henry IV put his episcopal candidate at Milan. This resulted in the denouncement of Gregory VII from the papal throne and the letter that calls upon Gregory VII to step down from his position as Pope. Gregory VII’s letter serves as a rebuttal to King Henry IV’s letter. After the pope met with his bishops, the King was excommunicated. Bishop Herman of Metz was a key player in advocating for the excommunication of King Henry IV. He used arguments provided by Pope Gregory in his letter that encouraged the belittling the honor of kingship and nurturing the notion that excommunicating the king had an extensive and prominent history.
Analysis: Henry denigrates Gregory and his status as pope by calling him “Hildebrand, not now Pope, but false monk” (Rosenwein 281). Gregory was denounced as an usurper of the papacy and was accused of perjury, immorality, and violating his papal authority. King Henry summoned the German bishops to Worms to dethrone Hildebrand. It was ordered that Hildebrand, the false monk, relinquish the papacy and resign. King Henry IV positioned himself as the true representative of God on earth because it was believed that kings were chased by God as representatives on Earth: “our Lord, Jesus Christ, has called us to kingship, but has not called you to the priesthood” (Rosenwein 281). King Henry belittles Gregory rise to power because it was done through manipulation, cunning, and not by God’s calling. Additionally, King Henry declares that Gregory, in fact, dishonors God: “you, however, since you do not fear God, dishonor me, ordained of Him” (Rosenwein 282). King Henry argues that because Gregory does not fear god and honor the king, as the “true Pope” Saint Peter expresses, Gregory, therefore, disdains God himself. Pope Gregory uses the scriptures as a rhetoric in his letter. The scriptures serve as support for the excommunication of King Henry. Pope Gregory used the teachings found in the Old Testament as leverage to sway public opinion and excommunicate the King: “what else is there that we might think except what we have learn in the Psalms: “the food has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’ and again, 'all have together been made unprofitable' in their intentions?”” (Rosenwein 283). Pope Gregory cleverly used the teachings of the papacy to strengthen the negative sentiments about King Henry. Depicting him as without God and inadequate helps to win converts. For those who were skeptical about straying away from the King, Gregory directs them to the words of Peter, teachings of Apostle, and lessons from Gregory. Furthermore, to justify his excommunication of Henry Gregory illustrates specific examples of dethroning and excommunicating kings in history with the story of why Pope Zacharias dethroned the king of the Franks and Ambrose excommunicating Theodosius. This showed those who were fearful of excommunicating the King that not only had they considered the Antichrist, but also something like this had been done before and it was successful.
Summary: The two letters tell the story of each side of the movement for church reform and its repercussions. Henry IV writes from the royal view, while Gregory VII writes (in response to Henry VI’s letter) from the papal view. The movement originally had support from both the empire and the papacy, however, when the decision about leadership came to the table, conflict arose. Gregory VII was displease that Henry IV put his episcopal candidate at Milan. This resulted in the denouncement of Gregory VII from the papal throne and the letter that calls upon Gregory VII to step down from his position as Pope. Gregory VII’s letter serves as a rebuttal to King Henry IV’s letter. After the pope met with his bishops, the King was excommunicated. Bishop Herman of Metz was a key player in advocating for the excommunication of King Henry IV. He used arguments provided by Pope Gregory in his letter that encouraged the belittling the honor of kingship and nurturing the notion that excommunicating the king had an extensive and prominent history.
Analysis: Henry denigrates Gregory and his status as pope by calling him “Hildebrand, not now Pope, but false monk” (Rosenwein 281). Gregory was denounced as an usurper of the papacy and was accused of perjury, immorality, and violating his papal authority. King Henry summoned the German bishops to Worms to dethrone Hildebrand. It was ordered that Hildebrand, the false monk, relinquish the papacy and resign. King Henry IV positioned himself as the true representative of God on earth because it was believed that kings were chased by God as representatives on Earth: “our Lord, Jesus Christ, has called us to kingship, but has not called you to the priesthood” (Rosenwein 281). King Henry belittles Gregory rise to power because it was done through manipulation, cunning, and not by God’s calling. Additionally, King Henry declares that Gregory, in fact, dishonors God: “you, however, since you do not fear God, dishonor me, ordained of Him” (Rosenwein 282). King Henry argues that because Gregory does not fear god and honor the king, as the “true Pope” Saint Peter expresses, Gregory, therefore, disdains God himself. Pope Gregory uses the scriptures as a rhetoric in his letter. The scriptures serve as support for the excommunication of King Henry. Pope Gregory used the teachings found in the Old Testament as leverage to sway public opinion and excommunicate the King: “what else is there that we might think except what we have learn in the Psalms: “the food has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’ and again, 'all have together been made unprofitable' in their intentions?”” (Rosenwein 283). Pope Gregory cleverly used the teachings of the papacy to strengthen the negative sentiments about King Henry. Depicting him as without God and inadequate helps to win converts. For those who were skeptical about straying away from the King, Gregory directs them to the words of Peter, teachings of Apostle, and lessons from Gregory. Furthermore, to justify his excommunication of Henry Gregory illustrates specific examples of dethroning and excommunicating kings in history with the story of why Pope Zacharias dethroned the king of the Franks and Ambrose excommunicating Theodosius. This showed those who were fearful of excommunicating the King that not only had they considered the Antichrist, but also something like this had been done before and it was successful.