dec 30, 1076 - Walk to Canossa

Description:

One of the most dramatic episodes of the Investiture Controversy took place when Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV made the famous “Walk to Canossa.” Facing excommunication from Pope Gregory VII over a dispute regarding the appointment of church officials, Henry IV travels to the castle of Canossa in the snow to seek the Pope’s forgiveness. This penitential journey symbolizes the intense power struggle between the papacy and secular rulers over the control of ecclesiastical appointments.

Added to timeline:

Date: