Henry IV, born on 11 November 1050, was Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 to 1105 and King of Germany from 1054 to 1105. He was the son of Henry III and Agnes of Poitou. Following his father's death on 5 October 1056, Henry was placed under his mother's guardianship. Agnes sought to secure support from German aristocrats through grants, but her inability to control papal elections allowed the idea of 'liberty of the Church' to gain traction. In April 1062, Archbishop Anno II of Cologne kidnapped Henry, ruling Germany until Henry reached maturity in 1065.Upon assuming control, Henry aimed to reclaim royal estates lost during his minority. His appointment of low-ranking officials led to discontent, particularly in Saxony and Thuringia. He suppressed a riot in Saxony in 1069 and quelled a rebellion by Otto of Nordheim in 1071. Henry insisted on his right to appoint bishops, which reformist clerics condemned as simony. Pope Alexander II excommunicated Henry's advisors in early 1073, and by summer 1074, Saxons openly rebelled. Henry exploited divisions among the Saxon aristocracy to regain control by October 1075.Henry's ambitions in Italy alarmed Pope Gregory VII, who threatened excommunication for simony. In January 1076, Henry persuaded German bishops to declare Gregory's election invalid. In response, Gregory excommunicated Henry and released his subjects from allegiance. To counter this, Henry traveled to Canossa in January 1077, where he performed penance and was absolved by Gregory. However, his opponents elected Rudolf of Rheinfelden as antiking in March 1077. Despite initial neutrality from the Pope, Henry continued to appoint clerics, leading to further excommunication in March 1080. Rudolf was killed in battle, and Henry was crowned emperor by Clement III in Rome on 1 April 1084.Henry faced ongoing challenges, including a rebellion led by his son Conrad II in 1093 and conflicts with Matilda of Tuscany. After reconciling with Welf I, Duke of Bavaria, in 1096, Henry proclaimed the first Reichsfriede in 1103, establishing imperial peace across Germany. However, his son Henry V forced him to abdicate on 31 December 1105. Henry attempted to regain his throne with support from Lotharingian aristocrats but fell ill and died on 7 August 1106 without receiving absolution from his excommunication.Henry IV's reign was marked by significant conflicts, particularly the Investiture Controversy, which pitted royal authority against papal power. His 'Walk to Canossa' became a symbol of the struggle between church and state. His legacy includes a complex reputation shaped by his contentious relationships with the papacy, his sons, and the German aristocracy.

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Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor