Middle Ages Summaries
Minda~Quenn Yeary
Saint Thomas Aquinas
Philosopher and theologian St. Thomas Aquinas was born circa 1225 in Italy. Combining the theological principles of faith with the philosophical principles of reason, he ranked among the most influential thinkers of medieval Scholasticism. People were at odds as to how to unite the knowledge they obtained through revelation with the information they observed naturally using their mind and their senses. Based on Averroes's "theory of the double truth," the two types of knowledge were in direct opposition to each other. St. Thomas Aquinas's revolutionary views rejected Averroes's theory, asserting that "both kinds of knowledge ultimately come from God" and were therefore compatible.
Emperor Henry IV
Henry IV was born on November 11, 1050, in Germany. He became Holy Roman Emperor and a German king in 1056, but Pope Gregory VII began reforms to reassert church dominion over imperial rulers. Henry eventually overthrew Gregory, but would succumb to the new ordinances. In 1105, he was forced to abdicate the throne by his son. Henry IV was beloved by some, notably the citizenry, who looked to him as their champion, but was reviled by others, such as church officials who resented his attempts to keep imperial rule the dominant law.
Pope Gregory VII
Gregory VII was a reform-minded pope who issues decrees forbidding practices like clerical marriage (and concubinage) and simony. He is most famous, however, for the role he played in the Investiture Controversy with Henry IV. Henry rallied nobles across Germany against Gregory's insistence that lay rulers could not invest abbots and bishops and as a result, Gregory excommunicated him in 1076. Henry found he was unable to oppose the pope and was forced to humble himself before Gregory at Canossa 1077. During a civil war in Germany, however, Gregory once again opposed Henry and declared him deposed. Unfortunately for Gregory, Henry won the war and then proceeded to march
Saint Thomas Aquinas
Philosopher and theologian St. Thomas Aquinas was born circa 1225 in Italy. Combining the theological principles of faith with the philosophical principles of reason, he ranked among the most influential thinkers of medieval Scholasticism. People were at odds as to how to unite the knowledge they obtained through revelation with the information they observed naturally using their mind and their senses. Based on Averroes's "theory of the double truth," the two types of knowledge were in direct opposition to each other. St. Thomas Aquinas's revolutionary views rejected Averroes's theory, asserting that "both kinds of knowledge ultimately come from God" and were therefore compatible.
Emperor Henry IV
Henry IV was born on November 11, 1050, in Germany. He became Holy Roman Emperor and a German king in 1056, but Pope Gregory VII began reforms to reassert church dominion over imperial rulers. Henry eventually overthrew Gregory, but would succumb to the new ordinances. In 1105, he was forced to abdicate the throne by his son. Henry IV was beloved by some, notably the citizenry, who looked to him as their champion, but was reviled by others, such as church officials who resented his attempts to keep imperial rule the dominant law.
Pope Gregory VII
Gregory VII was a reform-minded pope who issues decrees forbidding practices like clerical marriage (and concubinage) and simony. He is most famous, however, for the role he played in the Investiture Controversy with Henry IV. Henry rallied nobles across Germany against Gregory's insistence that lay rulers could not invest abbots and bishops and as a result, Gregory excommunicated him in 1076. Henry found he was unable to oppose the pope and was forced to humble himself before Gregory at Canossa 1077. During a civil war in Germany, however, Gregory once again opposed Henry and declared him deposed. Unfortunately for Gregory, Henry won the war and then proceeded to march