When Gregory VII. saw William the Conqueror established in England, he did not hesitate prescribing to him to render homage for his kingdom to the Apostolic See.¹⁵¹ This strange proposition had for its pretext, the alms which the English had paid for about two centuries to the Roman Church, and which was called Peter’s pence. The Conqueror, replied that perhaps the alms would be continued, but it therefore did not follow, that homage should be demanded of those from whom he received charity. William at the same time forbad the English from going to Rome, and prohibited them acknowledging any other pope than him whom he should approve. This trifling affair had no other consequence; and we only mention it in this place as it evinces better than any other, that Gregory knew not how to fix any bounds to the pretensions of the Holy See. Perhaps he imagined that the newness of William’s power in England might incline him to wish for the protection of Rome, and make him willing to purchase it by an act of vassalage: but it was evincing a very false idea of the state of this conqueror’s affairs, his power, his character, and his ascendancy over his new subjects. The least reflection would have diverted Gregory from so ridiculous a step, shameful because useless. ¹⁵¹ Fleury Hist. Ecclea. 1. 62, n. 63. Sardinia, Dalmatia, Russia, were in Gregory’s eyes but fiefs which ornamented the tiara. “On behalf of St. Peter,” thus he writes to Demetrius the Russian prince, “we have given your crown to your son, who receives it from our hands in taking the oath of fidelity to us.” We must mention the names of all the princes who reigned in this pope’s time, in order to fill up the catalogue of those whom he threatened or struck with his excommunications: Nicephoros Bonotiate, the Greek emperor, whom he enjoined to abdicate his crown¹⁵² ; Boleslaus, king of Poland, whom he declared deprived of his authority, and added that Poland should be no longer a king-dom¹⁵³ ; Solomon, king of Hungary, whom he sent to learn from the old men of his country, that it belonged to the Roman church¹⁵⁴ ; the Princes of Spain, to whom he stated that St. Peter was supreme and sovereign lord of their states and domains, and that it would be preferable that Spain should fall into the hands of the Saracens, than cease to render homage to the vicar of Jesus Christ¹⁵⁵ ; Robert Guiscard, his vassal, whose slightest neglect he punished with anathemas¹⁵⁶ ; the Duke of Bohemia, of whom he exacted a tribute of a hundred marks of silver: Philip I. king of France, whom he affected to subject to similar exactions, and whom he denounced to the French bishops as a tyrant plunged into infamy and crime, who deserved not the name of a monarch, and of whom they would render themselves the accomplices, if they did not rigorously resist him. ¹⁵² Concil. Rom. ann. 1078. ¹⁵³ Dngloss. Hist. Polon. 1. 3. 295. ¹⁵⁴ Gregor. Epist 1. 2, ep. 13, 23.—Fleury Hist. Ecoles* L62,n. 9.