The 12th Century
Explore the 12th century - an age when popes and emperors clashed for supremacy. The Concordat of Worms settled investiture, Thomas Becket died for Church liberty, and Frederick Barbarossa challenged papal authority across Europe.
Popes andEmperors
The 12th century opened with the resolution of the Investiture Controversy. The Concordat of Worms in 1122 established a compromise: emperors renounced the right to invest bishops with ring and staff, while retaining influence over elections in their lands. The Church had won its freedom, but tensions remained.
The struggle between Church and state found its martyr in Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. His conflict with King Henry II over clerical privileges ended with his murder in the cathedral in 1170. Becket's shrine became one of medieval Europe's greatest pilgrimage sites, and his cause - the liberty of the Church - inspired generations.
Emperor Frederick Barbarossa spent decades battling the papacy and the Italian city-states. Pope Alexander III excommunicated him and supported the Lombard League. Their conflict shaped European politics until Barbarossa's defeat at Legnano in 1176. The Third Lateran Council of 1179 consolidated papal authority and reformed Church governance.
At a Glance
“For the name of Jesus and the protection of the Church I am ready to embrace death.”
St Thomas Becket
Before his martyrdom, 1170
The Price of Freedom
The 12th century established that the Church would not be a department of the state. From the Concordat of Worms to the blood of Thomas Becket, this freedom was won at great cost.