Page:The history of medieval Europe.djvu/336

 288 THE HISTORY OF MEDIEVAL EUROPE could not free his own mind or government from feudal methods. Among Gregory's papers is found a list of twenty-seven propositions concerning powers possessed or claimed by the ~, ~. popes, known as the Dictatus. This brief mem- The Dictatus * v > orandum was not written by Gregory, however, since some of its propositions are contradicted in his un- disputed works; but it illustrates the vast powers claimed at about this time for the Papacy. It asserts that the pope never errs; that he is above criticism, supreme over bishops and even a church council ; supreme also over the State, the law, and literature. These were prerogatives even more extensive than Gregory VII attempted in practice, but the program was one which his successors tried to realize in the next few centuries. Gregory is distinguished by the violent and extreme methods which he did not hesitate to adopt in the effort to Gregory's enforce his ideals. In order to root out the mar- methods r j ec i clergy^ he deprived them of their revenues, forbade the laity to recognize them any longer as priests, and even required their parishioners to rise against them and drive them out. He not only excommunicated worldly rulers with whom he had differences, but deposed them and encouraged their vassals and subjects to revolt, thus incit- ing sedition and civil war. The pontificate of Gregory was full of struggles, but the chief conflict was with the young emperor, Henry IV. ^conmct* Whetner we believe that the power of the Holy with Roman Emperors reached its height under Henry IV Henry m, or think that it had a l rea dy in his day begun to decline from the power of his predecessor, Conrad II, there is no doubt that the imperial authority was greatly weakened during the long minority of Henry IV, and that he had his hands full of political problems when Gregory VII became pope. Henry was at odds with the great nobles and was trying to build up a military power based upon the ministeriales. He also was trying to cre- ate a royal domain in Saxony, and thereby encountered a