2007-01-03 10:56:34 · 3 answers · asked by Krystina 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
Lay investiture was the term used to describe a king appointing someone to be a bishop - i.e. a layman (king) investing someone with the office of bishop. German emperors in particular claimed the right to do this in the High Middle Ages, and the popes of the time opposed this claim. In the papal bull "Dictatus Papae" (1095), Pope Gregory declared the practice of lay investiture to be against church law.
A form of lay investiture still exists today, in the Church of England, where the Archbishop of Canterbury is appointed by the Prime Minister.
2007-01-03 14:36:20 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Traditionally the cathedral chapter elected the Bishop. The King was in a very good position to advance his candidate. But Rome was very far away, and it would take weeks for the Pope to respond. What the Pope wanted was control of the selection process. The King and two interests. First, he wanted a good man working on his team, and not a political enemy. Second, because the church owned so much land, the new bishop would owe feudal allegiance. So it went back and forth. Many of the kings of this time were excommunicated because they tried to get their men elected. Several different Popes, pushed this issue when the King was weak or young. Lay investiture is when the Cathedral Chapter elects a new Bishop and the Pope does not give permission.
2016-05-23 00:00:11 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
**** i should knw this from world history 2.. i think it has to do with knights and how they would become knight by pledging loyalty to a king in exchange of land
2007-01-03 11:23:45 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋