The legend tells of the triumph of Cluny as no historical facts could do. Ten years later, in the reign of Nicholas II., the theocracy made itself self-perpetuating through the assumption of the election of the pope by the college of cardinals, and in 1073 Hildebrand, the incarnation of monasticism, was crowned under the name of Gregory VII. With Hildebrand’s election, war began. The council of Rome, held in 1075, decreed that holy orders should not be recognized where investiture had been granted by a layman, and that princes guilty of conferring investiture should be excommunicated. The council of the next year, which excommunicated the emperor, also enunciated the famous propositions of Baronius--the full expression of the theocratic idea:-- “That the Roman pontiff alone can be called universal. “That he alone can depose or reconcile bishops. “That his legate, though of inferior rank, takes precedence of all bishops in council, and can pronounce sentence of deposition against them. . . . . . . . . . . “That all princes should kiss the pope’s feet alone. . . . . . . . . . . “That he may depose emperors. . . . . . . . . . . “That his judgments can be overruled by none, and he alone can overrule the judgments of all. “That he can be judged by no one. “That the Roman Church never has, and never can err, as the Scriptures testify. . . . . . . . . . . “That by his precept and permission it is lawful for subjects to accuse their princes. . . . . . . . . . . “That he is able to absolve from their allegiance the subjects of the wicked.”[97] The monks had won the papacy, but the emperor still held his secular clergy, and, at the diet of Worms, where he undertook to depose Hildebrand, he was sustained by his prelates. Without a moment of hesitation the enchanter cast his spell, and it is interesting to see, in the curse which he launched at the layman, how the head of monasticism had become identified with the spirit which he served. The priest had grown to be a god on earth. “So strong in this confidence, for the honour and defence of your Church, on behalf of the omnipotent God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, by your power and authority, I forbid the government of the German and Italian kingdoms, to King Henry, the son of the Emperor Henry, who, with unheard-of arrogance, has rebelled against your Church. I absolve all Christians from the oaths they have made, or may make to him, and I forbid that any one should obey him as king.”[98]