Synopses & Reviews
This is the first book in English devoted to the German king and emperor Henry IV (1056 1106), whose reign was one of the most momentous in German history and a turning-point in the history of the medieval empire (the kingdoms of Germany, Italy and Burgundy). The reign was marked by continuous rebellions and fluctuating fortune. Earlier monarchs had also witnessed conflict between crown and aristocracy, but Henry IVâs reign differed in that his conflicts could never be definitively resolved either by negotiation or by war. During the 1070s the young king gained a lasting reputation for tyranny, while his assertion of the crownâs traditional rights over the imperial church aroused papal opposition. The alliance between the German princes and the papacy haunted Henry IV for the rest of his life. He meanwhile, by turns opportunist and compromiser, dedicated himself at all times to preserving the traditional rights of the monarchy.
Review
"Readers familiar with Robinson's studies on the Gregorian papacy will find this work a welcome complement to ecclesiastical histories of the Investiture Contest...Robinson's study of Henry IV's kingship in Germany illuminates the dynamics of the nascent German political community in the late 11th century." Choice"This is the first book-length biography of Henry IV in English...[Robinson] shows comfortable familiarity with the frequently conflicting primary sources of the period. Robinson succeeds admirably at his task of presenting a balanced portrait of Henry...The book should appeal to anyone interested in German history or medieval history; it should be on the acquisitions list of college and larger public libraries." Henry A. Myers, History"Well informed and with great lucidity, Robinson chronicles the events of Henry's fateful reign, a reign marked by fierce struggles between a monarchy determined to reassert its inherited rights and an entrenched, powerful aristocracy striving for inderpendence....The book is a pleasure to read....The study will be an invaluable tool for future work on the medieval empire." Uta-Renate Blumenthal, The International History Review
Table of Contents
Introduction; 1. The young king, 1056 1075; 2. The conflict with Pope Gregory VII; 3. Emperor Henry IV, 1084 1106; Conclusion.