What is Investiture Controversy?
The '''Investiture Controversy''', also known as the '''lay investiture controversy''', was the most important conflict between secular and religious powers in [[Middle Ages|medieval Europe]]. It began as a dispute in the 11th century between the [[Holy Roman Emperor]] [[Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor|Henry IV]] and [[Pope Gregory VII]]. The question was who would control appointments of [[bishop]]s ([[investiture]]). The controversy led to many years of bitterness and nearly fifty years of civil war in [[Germany]]. This war ended with the triumph of the great [[duke]]s and [[abbot]]s, and the falling apart of the [[German Empire|German empire]] in the end. == The dispute between Gregory VII and Henry IV == When [[Pope Gregory VII|Gregory VII]], a reformist monk, was elected as pope in 1073, the controversy between emperor and pope began. Gregory had many enemies in the higher ranks of the German clergy, so [[Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor|Henry IV]] declared that Gregory was no longer pope and that the Romans should choose a new pope [http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/henry4-to-g7a.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141112003454/http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/henry4-to-g7a.html |date=2014-11-12 }}. When Gregory learned of this he [[excommunication|excommunicated]] Henry IV, declared he was no longer emperor, and told his subjects that they no longer had to obey him as they had sworn to do. The excommunication of the king made a deep impression both in Germany and [[Italy]]. Thirty years before, his father Henry III had deposed three popes, but when Henry IV tried to copy this procedure he did not have the support of the people. The Saxons began a second rebellion, and the anti-royalist party grew in strength from month to month. === To Canossa === Henry had been excommunicated by this point, and facing widespread opposition at home with Rudolf as the figurehead of this, Henry met the Pope at a fortress in the Southern Alps. Over three days he signals his penitence in the snow, baref