• Born: 1081
• Married: 7 Jan 1114, Mainz, Hessen, Germany
• Died: 23 May 1125

  Research Notes:

The Annalista Saxo records the birth in 1081 of "Heinrico regi filius iunior". His father declared him as his successor in 1098 at Mainz. Heinrich was elected associate king of Germany at Mainz 10 May 1098, crowned at Aachen 6 Jan 1099. In 1105, Heinrich broke with his father who was taken prisoner and forced to hand over the royal insignia at Ingelheim. Regarding this as an abdication, Heinrich had himself declared sole King of Germany at an assembly in Mainz in early Jan 1106. His father escaped and rallied his forces around Liège, where the younger Heinrich's army was defeated. Heinrich's father died shortly after, and the younger Heinrich succeeded in 1106 as HEINRICH V King of Germany. King Heinrich clashed immediately with the papacy by persisting in the practice of lay investiture. During the course of negotiations to settle the issue, Heinrich left for Italy, spending time in Lombardy to rebuild the machinery of imperial government, and agreed a compromise with Pope Paschal II who agreed to crown him emperor 12 Feb 1111. The ceremony was halted by disputes over the settlement agreement, Heinrich imprisoned the Pope and his cardinals, and forced a new agreement at Ponte Mammolo near Tivoli 4 Apr 1111 under which the right to investiture was conceded in the absence of simony. On this basis Heinrich was crowned Emperor HEINRICH IV at Rome 13 Apr 1111. Emperor Heinrich was obliged to intervene in Saxony where Duke Lothar von Süpplingenburg strengthened his power base. Although the duke submitted to the emperor in 1114, the imperial army was defeated by the Saxons at Welfesholz in 1115. After the death of Matilda Ctss of Tuscany in 1116, Emperor Heinrich left for Italy to claim her inheritance but was forced into long negotiations with the papacy which reopened the question of lay investiture. The process concluded with the Concordat of Worms 23 Sep 1122 under which Emperor Heinrich renounced the use of spiritual symbols in lay investiture, promised canonical elections and free consecration, but was accorded the right to be present at elections of bishops and abbots in Germany.

Emperor Heinrich probably died of cancer. The Annales Spirenses record his burial at Speyer. ¹