Page:Outlines of European History.djvu/530

 450 Outlines of European History A new king chosen Henry again excommuni- cated Henry triumphs over Gregory Death of Gregory Henry IV's further troubles '-' servant of the servants of God," has ahvays been regarded as most completely typifying the power of the Church and the potency of her curses, against which even the most exalted of the earth found no weapon of defense except abject penitence.^ The pardon which Henry received at Canossa did not satisfy the German princes. They therefore proceeded to elect another ruler, and the next three or four years was a period of bloody struggles between the adherents of the rival kings. Gregory remained neutral until 1080, when he again "bound with the chain of anathema " Henry, " the so-called king," and all his followers. He declared him deprived of his royal power and dignity and forbade all Christians to obey him. The new excommunication had precisely the opposite effect to the first one ; it seemed to increase rather than decrease Henry's friends. The German clergy again deposed Gregory VH. Henry's rival for the throne fell in battle, and Henry be- took himself to Italy with the double purpose of installing a Pope of his own choice and winning the imperial crown. Gregory held out for no less than two years ; but at last Rome fell into Henry's hands, and Gregory withdrew and soon after died. His last words were, " I have loved justice and hated iniquity, there- fore I die an exile," and the fair-minded historical student will not question their truth. The death of Gregory did not, however, put an end to Henry's difficulties. He spent the remaining twenty years of his life in trying to maintain his rights as king of Germany and Italy against his rebellious subjects on both sides of the Alps. In Germany his chief enemies were the Saxons and his discon- tented vassals. In Italy the Pope was now actively engaged as a temporal ruler, in building up a little state of his own, and he was always ready to encourage the Lombard cities in their opposition to the German emperors. All his life long Henry was turning from one enemy to another. Finally, his discontented German vassals induced his 1 For Gregory's own account of the affair at Canossa, see Rgeidings, chap. xiii.