The-papacy-its-history-dogmas-genius-and-prospects-wylie

GREGORY VII. AND HENRY IV.77of some undefinable right possessed by the emperors andthe people in the election was made in the decree, but itamounted in reality to little more than a permission to bothto be present on the occasion, and to signify their acquiescencein what they had no power to prevent. The realauthor of this, and of similar measures, was Hildebrand,who was content meanwhile to wield, in the humble rank ofa Roman archdeacon, the destinies of the Papacy, and tohide in the monk's garb that dauntless and comprehensivegenius which in a few years was to govern Europe. Hildebrandin no long time took the quarrel into his own hands.He ascended the pontifical throne, as we have alreadystated, in 1073, under the style of Gregory VH. He comprehendedthe Emperor's position with regard to the princesof Germany better than the Emperor himself did, andshaped his measures accordingly. He began by promulgatingthe decree against lay investitures, to which we havealready adverted. He saw the advantage of having thebarons on his side. He knew that they were impatient andenvious of the power of Henry, who was at once weak andtyrannical ; and he found it no difficult matter to gain themover to the papal interests,—first, by the decree of thePope, which declared Germany an electoral monarchy ;and,second, by the influence which the barons were still permittedto retain in the election of bishops. For althoughGregory had deprived the Emperor of theright of investiture,and in doing so had broken the bond that heldtogether the civil and spiritual institutions, as Ranke remarks,and declared a revolution,* he did not claim thedirect nomination of the bishops, but referred the choice tothe chapters, over which the higher German nobility exercisedvery considerable influence. Thus the Pope had thearistocratic interests on his side in the conflict. Henry,reckless as impotent, proceeded to glye mortal off^ence to hisgreat antagonist.Hastily assembling a number of bishops* Eankes History of the Popes, vol. i. p. 21.