enry IV, German emperor (1056-1106), son of Henry III, was born in 1050, and ascended the throne under the regency of his mother, Agnes of Poitou. The severest struggle of his reign was against the energetic and ambitious Pope Gregory VII (Hildebrand), who in 1076 excommunicated Henry; and it was only by personally humiliating himself, in sackcloth and barefoot, for three days, outside the castle of Canossa (January, 1077) in Italy, that the emperor was able to get the papal ban removed. Meanwhile the German princes elected a successor to Henry in Rudolf of Swabia; but Rudolf fell in battle (1080), and the emperor, in spite of a second ban of excommunication, not only set up a rival Pope (Clement III), but marched into Italy, and had himself crowned emperor by Clement III. From 1093 to the end of his reign he was engaged in renewed strife, first against the successors of Gregory VII, and secondly against the hostile princes in Germany, who won over to their side Henry’s own sons, Conrad and Henry, the latter of whom forced him to abdicate. See Floto’s Heinrich IV (1855-7). [World Wide Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1935]

Henry IV (Holy Roman Empire) (1050-1106), Holy Roman emperor (1056-1106). He was the son of Emperor Henry III.

Born in Goslar, Germany, on November 11, 1050, Henry succeeded his father at the age of six, but during most of his minority, his mother ruled in his name. After Henry came of age in 1065 he crushed a rebellion in Saxony. About that time there began the struggle between pope and emperor for temporal power in the empire. Despite a papal decree prohibiting appointment of church officials by the emperor, Henry appointed (1075) prelates in various parts of Italy. On being reprimanded by Pope Gregory VII, Henry convoked (1076) a German council at Worms to depose the pope. This act resulted in the excommunication of the emperor, with the consequent release of his subjects from allegiance to him. The nobles formed a coalition, threatening not to recognize Henry unless he secured absolution by February 1077. By dressing as a penitent and standing barefoot in the snow for three days outside the castle of Canossa, where Pope Gregory was staying, Henry obtained readmission to the communion of the church.

The German nobles, however, elected Rudolf, duke of Swabia, to replace Henry. This election caused a civil war. In 1080 the pope recognized the kingship of Rudolf and again excommunicated Henry, who declared Pope Gregory deposed and had the Italian archbishop Guibert of Ravenna elected in his stead as Pope Clement III. Rudolf was killed in 1080, and Henry regained control of Germany. He then led his forces into Italy and captured (1084) Rome, where he was crowned emperor by Clement III. A Norman army, led by Robert Guiscard, came to the aid of Pope Gregory, however, and drove Henry from Rome. Henry returned to Germany and there participated in a long series of civil wars, in which his sons eventually turned against him. In 1105 he was taken prisoner by his son Henry, later Emperor Henry V, and forced to abdicate. Escaping in the next year, Henry IV solicited aid from various sources, including England, Denmark, and France. He died at Liège, Belgium, on August 7, 1106, while gathering an army. [Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia]

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