Hildebrand and his Times

Author(s): William Richard Ward Stephens

Genre(s): Biography & Autobiography, Antiquity, Christianity - Biographies

Number of Chapters: 26

Length: 07 hours and 01 minute

Language: English

W.R.W. Stephens, the Anglican Dean of Winchester, writes a short, lively biography of the great church reformer, Hildebrand of Sovana (1015-1085), afterwards Pope Gregory VII, setting his life within the larger context of the struggle for dominance between the Holy Roman Empire and the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The roots of the conflict can be traced to the alliance made between Pope Stephen II and his successors and the Frankish King Pippin and his son Charlemagne to break the power of the Lombard Kingdom in Italy. Later emperors sought first to reform and then to dominate the Papacy, but they finally met their match in Hildebrand, leading to the famous confrontation between Pope and Emperor on the snowy steps of Canossa Castle. Facing an imperial invasion, Pope Gregory took the fatal step of summoning his fierce Norman allies. They sacked and burned Rome and carried Hildebrand off to Salerno where, his body weak but his spirit unbowed, he breathed his last crying, "I have loved righteousness and hated iniquity--therefore I die in exile." After Hildebrand's death, his ally Duchess Matilda, the greatest power in northern Italy, continued the struggle with the tragic Emperor, Henry IV, over investiture and reform, a conflict which was only settled under his perfidious son, Henry V. (Pamela Nagami)

Ch. 1: Introductory. Origin of the connexion between the Papacy and transalpine sovereigns--The corruption of the Papacy after the dissolution of the Carolingian Empire--The revival under Otto the Great--The relapse after the death of Otto III, Pt. 1 (Pamela Nagami)

Ch. 1: Introductory. Origin of the connexion between the Papacy and the transalpine sovereigns--The corruption of the Papacy after the dissolution of the Carolingian Empire--The revival under Otto the Great--The relapse after the death of Otto III, Pt. 2 (Pamela Nagami)

Ch. 2: Degradation of the Papacy--Beginning of a reformation under Henry III--The Rise of Hildebrand, 1033-47 (Pamela Nagami)

Ch. 3: Progress of the reforming movement--The Pontificate of Leo IX, 1047-54, Pt. 1 (Pamela Nagami)

Ch. 3: Progress of the reforming movement--The Pontificate of Leo IX, 1047-54, Pt. 2 (Pamela Nagami)

Ch. 4: The death of Henry III--Pontificate of Victor II and Stephen IX--Irregular election of Benedict X--Election of Nicolas II--Designs of Hildebrand, 1051-59 (Pamela Nagami)

Ch. 5: Pontificate of Nicolas II--Decree respecting method of election to the Papacy--Alliance with the Normans--Degradation of Benedict X--Election of Alexander II--Cadalus of Parma elected anti-pope, 1059-62, Pt. 1 (Pamela Nagami)

Ch. 5: Pontificate of Nicolas II--Decree respecting method of election to the Papacy--Alliance with the Normans--Degradation of Benedict X--Election of Alexander II--Cadulus of Parma elected anti-pope, 1059-62, Pt. 2 (Pamela Nagami)

Ch. 6: Relation of Germany to the Papacy during the minority of Henry IV, 1056-66 (Pamela Nagami)

Ch. 7: The first six years of the reign of Henry IV, 1066-72 (Pamela Nagami)

Ch. 8: State of the Church in Italy--Survey of the position of the Papacy in Europe--Death of Alexander II, 1073 (Pamela Nagami)

Ch. 9: Hildebrand elected pope--First two years of his pontificate, 1073-75, Pt. 1 (Pamela Nagami)

Ch. 9: Hildebrand elected pope--First two years of his pontificate, 1073-75, Pt. 2 (Pamela Nagami)

Ch. 10: Revolt of the Saxons--Beginning of the strife between Henry IV and Gregory VII, 1073-76, Pt. 1 (Pamela Nagami)

Ch. 10: Revolt of the Saxons--Beginning of the strife between Henry IV and Gregory VII, 1073-76, Pt. 2 (Pamela Nagami)

Ch. 11: Deposition of Gregory VII by the Council of Worms--Henry IV excommunicated at Rome by the pope--Diet of Tribur and suspension of the king's authority--Henry escapes from Speir and goes to Italy, January 1076-January 1077 (Pamela Nagami)

Ch. 12: Meeting between Henry and the pope at Canossa--Results of the meeting--Diet of Forcheim--Election of Rudolf of Swabia as anti-king, January-March 1077 (Pamela Nagami)

Ch. 13: The struggle in Germany between Henry and Rudolf--Death of Rudolf--Wibert, archbishop of Ravenna, elected anti-pope--Henry crowned by the anti-pope in Rome--Rome occupied by Robert Wiscard--Sack of Rome--Death of Gregory--Estimate of his character and work--Death of Robert Wiscard, 1077-85, Pt. 1 (Pamela Nagami)

Ch. 14: Pontificate of Victor III--Election of Urban II--Revolt of Henry's son Conrad--The Councils of Piacenza and Clermont--Proclamation of the first crusade--Reception of Urban II at Rome, 1086-96 (Pamela Nagami)

Ch. 15: Close of the pontificate of Urban II--Election of Pascal II--Revolt of Henry, son of Henry IV--Death of Henry IV--His character, 1096-1106, Pt. 1 (Pamela Nagami)

Ch. 15: Close of the pontificate of Urban II--Election of Pascal II--Revolt of Henry, son of Henry IV--Death of Henry IV--His character, 1096-1106, Pt. 2 (Pamela Nagami)

Ch. 16: Character of Henry V and of Pascal II--Council of Troyes--Henry's visit to Italy--Scene in St. Peter's, Rome--Coronation of Henry V--Strife between Henry and Pascal--Death of the pope, 1106-18, Pt. 1 (Pamela Nagami)

Ch. 17: Pontificate of Gelasius II--Election of Calixtus II--Conference at Strasbourg--Council of Reims--Conference at Mouzon--Council of Worms--The Concordat and end of the investiture strife, 1118-23, Pt. 1 (Pamela Nagami)

The audiobook Hildebrand and his Times falls under the genres of Biography & Autobiography, Antiquity, Christianity - Biographies. It is written by William Richard Ward Stephens.

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Hildebrand and his Times