Daily Medieval

Matilda of Tuscany (c.1046 - 1115) was one of the most important figures in Italy in the second half of the 11th century. After the deaths o...

The awkwardness about antipopes is that they take names that are later taken by official popes. One has to keep them straight in the histor...

The reign of Pope Urban II was barely more than a decade, but he made some decisions with profound effects for centuries. He was born Odo of...

There are a number of families in the 21st century who have become wealthy through commerce and use that wealth to exert their influence on ...

Henry challenging the power of the church Little is known of the figure called Bruno the Saxon, except that he was a monk attached to t...

You would think that being named pope is the highest achievement for a man in that particular field, and that it comes with the power to ...

The Concordat of Worms that ended the Investiture Controversy There was a recent mention that Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV was best kno...

Henry IV (center), with his sons Henry V & Conrad Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV is best known for the Investiture Controversy and the...

Rudolph of Swabia was referred to as an anti-king after he was defeated by Henry IV in 1080. Anti-popes are a common concept in history, ...

On the heels of the three "Church & State" posts, it is appropriate to talk about a clash between an emperor and a pope. Today...