The Empire and the Papacy, 918-1273Tout, T. F. (Thomas Frederick)
History
The Empire and the Papacy, 918-1273
Tout, T. F. (Thomas Frederick)
Europe -- History -- 476-1492; Holy Roman Empire -- History -- 843-1273; Papacy
No Pope ever stood in a stronger position than Calixtus when in February
1120 he at last crossed the Alps. He was received with open arms by the
Romans, and with more than ordinary loyalty by the Normans of the south.
The Antipope fled before him, and was soon reduced to pitiful straits in
his last refuge at Sutri. At last he was captured, contemptuously
paraded through the Roman streets, and conveyed to prison, until, after
peace had been restored to the Church, he was released to end his life
obscurely in a monastery.
[Sidenote: Negotiations renewed, 1121.]
The Emperor saw that he had been too suspicious at Mouzon, and again
wished to retire with dignity from a conflict in which his prospects of
complete triumph had long utterly vanished. Things were now going better
in Germany. In 1121 a Diet was held at Würzburg, at which Henry made
peace with Adalbert of Mainz and the Saxon rebels. It was agreed to
refer the investiture question to a German council under the Pope’s
presidency, and direct negotiations with Rome were renewed. The Pope’s
words were now exceedingly conciliatory. ‘The Church,’ he said, ‘is not
covetous of royal splendour. Let her enjoy what belonged to Christ, and
let the Emperor enjoy what belonged to the Empire.’
[Sidenote: Concordat of Worms, 1122.]
On 8th September 1122 the council met at Worms. Calixtus, after some
hesitation, did not attend himself, but sent Lambert, Bishop of Ostia,
as his legate. Lambert was a citizen of Bologna, who had been archdeacon
of his native town, and had learnt from its rival schools of Canonists
and Civilians [see pp. 217–220] the principles involved in both sides of
the controversy. He soon turned his knowledge and skill to good account.
The council lasted little more than a week. The Emperor at first stood
out for his rights, but was soon persuaded to accept a compromise such
as had been suggested previously at Strasburg. On 23rd September the
final Concordat of Worms was ratified, which put an end to the
investiture strife. Two short documents, of three weighty sentences
each, embodied the simple conditions that it had cost fifty years of
contest to arrive at. ‘I, Henry,’ thus ran the imperial diploma, ‘for
the love of God, the holy Roman Church, and of the lord Pope Calixtus,
and for the salvation of my soul, abandon to God, the holy Apostles
Peter and Paul, and to the holy Catholic Church all investiture by the
ring and the staff, and I grant that in all the churches of my Empire
there be freedom of election and free consecration. I will restore all
the possessions and jurisdictions of St. Peter, which have been taken
away since the beginning of this quarrel. I will give true peace to the
lord Pope Calixtus and to the holy Roman Church, and I will faithfully
help the holy Roman Church, whenever she invokes my aid.’ The papal
diploma was even shorter. ‘I, Calixtus, the bishop,’ said the Pope,
‘grant to Henry, Emperor of the Romans, that the elections of bishops
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