# Walk to Canossa (1077)

URL: https://christianity-history.com/timeline/1077-walk-to-canossa
Location: Canossa, Italy
Themes: Politics

Emperor Henry IV stands in the snow at Canossa to seek absolution from Gregory VII. At this point in the timeline (1077), the Bishop of Rome was Pope Gregory VII (22 April 1073 – 25 May 1085).

## Why it matters
Walk to Canossa mattered because it changed the relationship between the churches and political power.

Pope at the time: [Pope Gregory VII](https://christianity-history.com/popes/pope-gregory-vii)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Road to Canossa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_to_Canossa)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Walk to Canossa](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Walk+to+Canossa)
- [Wikipedia — Medieval Church (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Catholic_Church#Middle_Ages)