The History of the Church Since the Days of Christ, Book 1 · History of century 11
CENTVRIE XI.
Henry the second.
AFter Otto the third, Henry the second, Duke of Bavaria, by the Princes Electors was declared Emperour, hee raigned two and twenty yeeres. Platina assigneth vntounto him onelyonly eighteene. Hee was a wise, valiant, and godly Emperour. He subdued all his rebells: He received the Imperiall crown from Benedict the eight: Hee expelled the Saracens out of Italy.The Danes invade England. In this Emperours time Sueno King of Denmarke invaded England, and subdued it to his obedience. A savage Prince, in whom (if power had not lacked to performe his designes) his cogitations were highly bended to extirpate all profession of Christian religion in England. Likewise, about this time Calipha of Egypt, one of the Saracen Princes, destroyed some of the temples of Ierusalem, and poluted the rest, but in speciall he overthrew the Temple builded about the Lords Sepulchre. His mother was a Christian woman: when that was obiected to him in way of exprobation, as if hee had favoured Christians for his mothers sake: hee bended all his might against the Christians, destroyed and poluted their Temples, and massacred in most cruell manner, all them who were in spirituall offices. This was the first ground of the terrible warfare which afterward ensued,The occasion of Bellū sacrū. vulgarly called Bellum sacrum.
Conrad the second.
AFter Henry the second, succeeded Conrad the second: and was elected Emperour three yeares after the death of Henry. In this inter-raigne many cities of Italy desirous of libertie, made desertion from the subiection of the Emperour. But Conrad was a wise and valiant warriour,Comment Func… lib. 9. and reduced the cities of Italy in short time to subiection. He was the first Emperour who made a law,Note. that the perturbers of the common peace in Germany should be punished vntounto the death. Hee received the Imperiall crowne from Pope Iohn 21. and raigned 15. yeeres. In whose dayes Michael Paphlago, who married Zoe the daughter of Constantine the tenth, raigned in the East eight yeeres.
Henry the third.
AFter Conrad the second, his sonne Henry the third, raigned 17. yeeres. Hee married the daughter of Canutius, the sonne of Sueno King of Denmarke, who at that time raigned in England. In his time great strife was among the Bishops of Rome, contending for the Popedom. Which sedition the Emperour suppressed, by remooving all the three seditious Popes, and appointing Clemens the 2. to bee Pope, as shall be declared God willing in the Head of Councels.
In the East,Hist. Magd. cent. 11. cap. 3. after the death of Calypha Prince of Egypt, his sonne Dabir made a covenant of peace with Argyrophilus Emperour of the East, and gaue liberty to Christians to build those Temples againe, which Calypha had demolished. Constantinus Mononiachus, also furthered the building, so that the worke was perfected, anno. 1048.
Henry the fourth.
HEnry the fourth, was a young childe of seven yeeres old when his father died, and hee raigned 50 yeeres. Hee was an Emperour valiant, wise, eloquent, and fortunate in warfare. Neverthelesse hee was miserably vexed with the divilish pride of Pope Gregorie th 7. by whom hee was twice excommunicate, and his subiects in Germany were stirred vp by the Pope to rebell against him, vnderunder the conduct of Rodolph Duke of Sueue. But the God of heaven gaue victory to the the Emperour Henry, and Rodolph was sore wounded in the last battell, for his right arme was cut off, and hee convicted in conscience of the treasonable attemps against the Emperour his Master, and the breaking of his oath of allegance, admonished the Bishops who had incited him to seditious insurrection, to bee more obedient to their soveraigne Lord in time to come,Note. because God had punished him for his disloyalty in his right arme, which was once lift vp to sweare the oath of allegance to his Master. The seditious enterprises of Gregorius the 7. against the noble Emperonr Henry of purpose to throw out of his hands the power of investment of Bishops, together with the wise resolution of the Emperour, to represse the pride of this insolent Pope, they are to be declared (God willing) heareafter in a more convenient time.
In this Emperours time William Duke of Normandy entered into England, to whom Harold (who at that time vsurped the government of the countrey) gave an hard and sharpe encounter:…illiam Duke of Normandy subdueth Englan… but Duke William prevailed, slew Harold, and governed the countrey. At this time also was the estate of Christians in most lamentable manner afflicted by the Turkes and Saracens: as shall bee declared hereafter at greater length, God willing.