ideal entitles him without question to be regarded as the greatest of all mediaeval popes. In the document given below, the so-called _Dictatus Papae_, Pope Gregory's conception of the nature of the papal power and its proper place in the world is stated in the form of a clear and forcible summary. Until recently the _Dictatus_ was supposed to have been written by Gregory himself, but it has been fairly well demonstrated that it was composed not earlier than 1087 and was therefore the work of some one else (Gregory died in 1085). It conforms very closely to a collection of the laws of the Church published in 1087 by a certain cardinal by the name of Deusdedit. The document loses little or none of its value by reason of this uncertainty as to its authorship, for it represents Pope Gregory's views as accurately as if he were known to have written it. In judging Gregory's theories it should be borne in mind (1) that it was not personal ambition, but sincere conviction, that lay beneath them; (2) that the temporal states which existed in western Europe in Gregory's day were rife with feudal anarchy and oppression and often too weak to be capable of rendering justice; and (3) that Gregory claimed, not that the Church should actually assume the management of the civil government throughout Europe, but only that in cases of notorious failure of temporal sovereigns to live right and govern well, the supreme authority of the papacy should be brought to bear upon them, either to depose them or to compel them to mend their ways. It is worthy of note, however, that Gregory was careful to lay the foundations of a formidable political power in Italy, chiefly by availing himself of the practices of feudalism, as seen, for example, in the grant of southern Italy to the Norman Robert Guiscard to be held as a fief of the Roman see. Source--Text in Michael Doeberl, _Monumenta Germaniae Historica Selecta_ (Muenchen, 1889), Vol. III., p. 17. =1.= That the Roman Church was founded by God alone. =2.= That the Roman bishop alone is properly called universal.[375] =3.= That he alone has the power to depose bishops and reinstate them. =4.= That his legate, though of inferior rank, takes precedence of all bishops in council, and may give sentence of deposition against them. =5.= That the Pope has the power to depose [bishops] in their absence.[376] =6.= That we should not even stay in the same house with those who are excommunicated by him. =8.= That he alone may use the imperial insignia.[377] =9.= That the Pope is the only person whose feet are kissed by all princes. =11.= That the name which he bears belongs to him alone.[378] =12.= That he has the power to depose emperors.[379] =13.= That he may, if necessity require, transfer bishops from one see to another. =16.= That no general synod may be called without his consent.