Pope Gregory VII was seeking to limit the power of the Holy Roman emperor on the matter of: Lay Investiture, i.e. the power of a secular government to appoint religious officials such as Bishops, priests etc.
Pope Gregory VII was a famous reformist Pope of Medieval Europe. Born in Italy, he is known for his bitter rivalry with Henry IV over the appointment of religious officials.
He personally believed in 'Papal Supermacy' and believed that the Pope had power all Christian realms. Something that was not popular with the European Kings.
Despite being more than a 1,000 years old, his conflict is still a stark reminder of the differences between the secular and religious forces in Europe.
