Episode 35 – To Rome! to Rome! – Henry IV takes Revenge on pope gregory VII
Suddenly the boot os on the other foot and emperor Henry IV chases pope Gregory VII out of Rome and into exile in Salerno
Episode 28 – Three Popes with One Stone
In 1046 Henry III finally has time to go to Rome. He finds out that pope Gregory VI has bought the papacy for cold hard cash, a sin that could invalidate his coronation. Henry III gets involved, deposes all three competing popes and inadvertently starts a chain of events that ends in what Norman Cantor calls “the first of the three world revolutions”.
Episode 27 – Peace in Our Time
Henry’s rule is not without tension. The dukes of Saxony and Lothringia are moving into opposition to the king and emperor falls severely ill in 1045.
Episode 26 – Henry III Comin’ in Smoothly
For the first time in almost 70 years the transition from one king/emperor to the next is smooth. Konrad II was not only one of the most successful medieval rulers, he also managed to live long enough for his son Henry III to grow up to adulthood before taking over.
Episode 25 – Speyer Cathedral
The greatest of the Salian legacies are the great cathedrals, and above all, Speyer, the brainchild of Konrad II
Episode 24 – Konrad II’s Acquisition of Burgundy
Emperor Konrad II claims the kingdom of Burgundy, not as his personal right, but as a right of the Holy Roman Empire
Episode 23 – Duke Ernst Rebel and Legend
Konrad II’s push for centralised control leads to a rebellion, led by the emperor’s 16-year old stepson, duke Ernst II of Swabia (1012-1030).
Episode 22 – Konrad II Who would have thought
Konrad II was neither a mighty prince nor a relative of the House of Otto I, but still he was elected emperor
Episode 20 – A Blank Canvas
The perception of the Ottonians throughout history has changed regularly, reflecting contemporary biases more than historical reality
Episode 19 – Henry II, the House of God
How Emperor Henry II reshaped his kingdom using the Imperial Church System and founds the bishopric of Bamberg