Henry crossed the freezing Alps to the Italian town of Canossa. He approached the castle where the Pope Gregory VII was a guest and then begged humbly to be forgiven.
Chat with our AI personalities
The issue was the Investiture Controversy, the question of who had the right to choose new bishops.
Henry refused to obey Gregory also when Gregory accepted the new king Henry went to war Gregory allies drove out Henry forces
pope Gregory VII wanted to change the rules about the religion. Henry IV got angry and thought he can fire pope Gregory VII. Henry got excommunicated from the church. years past, he came back and begged for forgiveness and was back in the church society.
Henry IV became Holy Roman Emperor in 1070 A.D., and Hildebrand became Pope Gregory VII in 1073 A.D., he forbade lay investiture in 1075 A.D.. A synod at Worms attempted to depose the Pope in 1076 A.D. and the Pope excommunicated Henry and the Bishops later that same year. In 1077 A.D., Henry said he was sorry and submitted to ecclesiastical penance.
Saint Thomas Becket was chancellor of England and archbishop of Canterbury during the reign of Henry II and was martyred following a bitter battle with the monarchy over royal control of church law.