HENRY
232
HENRY
abdicate, while only those elements on whom he
had always relied, particularly the growing cities,
stood by him. Once more the emperor succeeded in
gathering troops around his standard at Liege. But
just as his son was drawing near at the head of an
army Henry died. After some opposition his adher-
ents buried him in Speyer. In him perished a man of
great importance on whom, however, fortune frowned.
Still liis achievements considered from the point of
view of their historical importance, were by no means
insignificant. As defender of the rights of the Crown
and of the honour of the empire, he saved the mon-
archy from a premature end, menaced though it was
by the universal disorder.
See also bibliographies under Henry III. Grecokt VII, Urban II, and Investitures. Conflict of; Meyer von Knonau, Jahrbiicher des Deidschen lieichcH unter Heinrich IV. und Heinrich V.. I-V (Leipzig, ISUO-lfllM); Dieckmann, Heinrich IV., seine Persbnlichkeit und sein Zeilalter (Wiesbaden, 1SS9); EcKERLiN. Daa Deutsche Reich wiihrend der Minder- iahrigkeit Heinrirhs IV., bis zum Tage von Kaiserswert (Halle Dissertation, 1888) : Seipoldy, Dtis Rcichsregiment in Deuisch- land unter Kunig Heinrich IV. 1062-66 (Gottingen Disserta- tion, 1871);FRlEDRicH,Studienaus Worrnser .Synode (GTeiiswald Dissertation, 1905); the most important literature issued during this period is collected in the Libelli de lite in Monumenta Ger- maniCB Historica.
Franz Kampers.
Henry V, German King and Roman Emperor, son of Henry IV; b. in lOSl ; d. at Utrecht, 2.3 May, 1 125. He was a crafty, sullen man, of far from blameless morals; but he defended tenaciously the rights of the Crown and, by his qualities as a ruler, the most con- spicuous of which were prudence and energy, he achieved important results. His harshness and want of consideration for others made him numerous ene- mies. Henry V ascended the throne imder a com- pact with the papacy and the territorial princes, that IS, with his father's bitterest opponents. Yet he had scarcely taken up the reins of government when he forthwith adopted the very policy which his father had pursued. It is true that he saw fit to preserve toward Rome a semljlance of ready submission, but
Seal of Henry V
"Heinricus D[eli Gr[ati]a Romanorum IIII In>p[e]r[ator]
Aug[ustu.s] "
he was by no means disposed to give up the royal prerogatives over the German Church, least of all the right of investiture. All negotiations opened to this end l)y Paschal II, who was too sanguine of results, remained barren failures. In 1110, Henry, accom- panied by a numerous army, set out for the imperial coronation in Rome. The pope, though rather ag- gressive in temperament, was quick to lose heart, anri deemed that a new conflict with this German king, who now appeared with such imposing array, would
be fraught with the most serious danger. Disregard-
ing totally the les.sons of history, he suggested a rad-
ical measure, the aim of which was to end once for
all the great strife between pope and emperor. He
determined to realize the monastic ideal of a t'hurch
free from all worldly entanglements. Therefore
bishops and abbots, the entire German Clhurch, were
to surrender to the king all their worldly possessions
lllllllIP
«
Sign of Henry V
" Signum domni Heinrici quinti + regis in\*ictissimi "
From a forged document dated 13 Aug., 1103, in the State
archives at Berlin
and rights. The kuig was to abandon in return the right of investiture, henceforth worthless. The lat- ter, who saw nothing but gain in this proposal, ac- cepted the offer. He was too shrewd not to realize that the pope's plan was impossible of execution. It is true that he had no serious intention of depriving of their possessions the ecclesiastical lorils and their vassals, while he attached much importance to the unequivocal way in which the king's rights to the temporal possessions of the Church were to be rec- ognized. However, no actual agreement was ever reached. The German princes in Rome, on reading the papal proposition, openly proclaimed their dis- approval. Henry, after this vehement protest, de- manded of the pope the right of investiture and the imperial crown. As the latter refused both, he car- ried him off a prisoner. Yielding to force, the pope agreed to Henry's demands, and at the same time swore that he would never excommunicate him. Henry, after this success, returned to Germany. He stopped on the way back, to visit Countess Matikla of Tuscany, who made him the heir of all her estates.
Meanwhile the followers of the pope resumed their activity. The weakness of Paschal was loutlly de- nounced. The Burgundian archbishop, Guido of Vienne, declared investiture a heresy and excom- municated the king. And as had happened in the dajs of the latter's father, this attack of the reform party on Henry found support in the opposition of the German princes. As so often in the past, Saxon particularism again manifested itself. In Saxony, the last male heir of the House of Billuug had died. The new duke, Lothair of Supplinlmrg. placed him- self at the head of a strong movement against the king, who did not meet this attack with equal vigour. The years 1114 and 111.") brought the uprising to a critical phase for Henry, who was defeated at Welfes- holze. near Mansfeld, whereupon the traditional thirst for independence reas.serted itself on many sides. First one and then another of the German ecclesiastical princes excommunicated the king. A papal envoy made his appearance in Saxony. Henry, despite the seriousness of this situation, hastened to Italy on learning the death of Countess Matilda in 1116, and led his army towards Rome, The pope fled and sought refuge among his friends, the Nor- mans. The German ruler was favourably received liy the Romans, had himself crowned emperor at St. Peter's (1117), and at once set out to restore order in Upper Italy. The prudent endowment of cities with privileges, coupled with his gifts to the Italian nobles, enabled him to carry out his plans. He took possession of the hereditary lands of Countess Ma- tilda, and thus strengthened his power in Italy.
In 1119, Henry's most outspoken adversary, Guido of Vienne, ascended the papal throne as Callistus II. The emperor perceived that the conflict was to begin anew with fresh violence, and in order the better to protect himself, determined to put an end to internal
