1. Power, Power, Who’s got the Power?
18-1
Popes and Kings
Power, Power, Who’s got the Power?

2. Objectives What was the Holy Roman Empire?
What was the pope’s role in the Roman Catholic Church?
How did cooperation with the pope help kings like the early Holy Roman Emperors?
Why did Pope Leo IX excommunicate the bishop of Constantinople? What resulted from this action?
Why did Emperor Henry IV ask the pope’s forgiveness?
Why did the pope make Emperor Henry IV wait three days before forgiving him?
Compare the power of popes to the power of kings.

3. To excommunicate someone means to kick them out of the church.
Terms and People
To excommunicate someone means to kick them out of the church.
You’ve left me no choice – you’re out!
Please forgive me!
Pope Gregory VII expanded the pope’s powers.
Emperor Henry IV struggled against the church for power.
Roman Catholic Church controlled Western Europe after the church split, and believed the pope controlled the church.
The Orthodox Church controlled Eastern Europe after the church split, and did not believe the pope controlled the church.

4. The Holy Roman Empire was a group of kingdoms in central Europe that joined together.
Many people thought that this might turn out to be the new Roman Empire.
It was never truly united as a country. It never had a capital. It was instead a union of many smaller territories.
Many disputes arose between the emperor and the nobles that ruled these smaller lands.

5. This diagram shows how the many lands united into one, yet each still kept some power.
The emperor did not inherit the crown. He was chosen by the nobles of these lands.

6. The Holy Roman Empire lasted until Napoleon defeated it in 1806.

7. A pyramid of power existed for politics.
A pyramid of power also existed within the church.
Power struggles sometimes broke out between political rulers and church leaders.
For example…

8. Emperor Pope The Nobles Bishops
Oops, I went too far…
How dare he question my choice!
I don’t much care for the bishop he’s chosen…
… this struggle developed between the pope and the Holy Roman Emperor.
They wouldn’t dare!
Nobles, you should overthrow him!
You bishops should get rid of him!
Alright, you’re excommunicated
Emperor
Looks like we’ll have to get rid of him.
Pope
The Nobles
Bishops

9. I forgive you.
The Emperor Henry IV went to see the pope and ask for forgiveness.
At first, the pope refused to see him, but Henry IV waited outside in the snow for three days.
At this point, the pope knew that either Henry IV was truly sorry, or at least the emperor recognized the pope’s power.

10. Bishops should obey the pope.
Not every time a pope excommunicated someone did it have a happy ending.
Bishops should obey the pope.
You’re not the boss!
When the pope disagreed with the Bishop of Constantinople, it led to the permanent division of the church.
This is called the Great Schism of 1054.

11. The pope excommunicated the bishop, but the bishop didn’t care
The pope excommunicated the bishop, but the bishop didn’t care. He created a separate church.
The church has been divided ever since.

13. Video on the Great Schism of 1054

14. Video on the Holy Roman Empire

15. Video on the Emperor Henry IV vs. Pope Gregory