What significant conflict arose between Pope Gregory VII and Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV?

The significant conflict that arose between Pope Gregory VII and Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV is known as the Investiture Controversy. This conflict centered around the question of who held the authority to appoint bishops and other church officials. Pope Gregory VII advocated for the independence of the church from secular influence, asserting that only the Pope had the right to invest bishops with their spiritual authority. In contrast, Henry IV believed that as the emperor, he should have the power to appoint these officials, seeing it as part of his royal prerogative.

The disagreement escalated into a power struggle where confrontations included excommunication and political maneuvering. Pope Gregory ultimately excommunicated Henry IV, leading to Henry’s famous penance at Canossa, where he sought forgiveness from the Pope. This conflict was pivotal in shaping the relationship between church and state in medieval Europe, demonstrating the tension between religious authority and political power.

The other options refer to different historical events: the Great Schism was a split within Christianity; the Crusades were a series of religious wars; and the Hundred Years' War was a conflict between England and France, none of which are directly tied to the specific confrontation between Gregory VII and Henry IV.