Digital Continent Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul 2016 | Page 79

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royal office, which he continued to exercise.151 Although Henry’s situation appeared grim, he
achieved two crucial things at Canossa. Henry was absolved from his excommunication and also
prevented the pope from continuing on to his meeting with the enemies of the king. Even if the
princes recognized Henry as having lost his kingship and his subjects as free from their oath of
fealty, Henry did not.152 Once again, supplication had aided in the aversion of crisis.

The king had been excommunicated for his disobedience and disregard of papal law, not for
heresy. His suspension from kingship prompted him to approach Gregory VII as a penitent. It

151

Morrison, “Canossa: A Revision,” 125.

152

Weinfurter, 151.