A conflict arose between Pope Gregory VIII and the Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV. The King appointed the Bishop of Milan without the consent of the Pope. The Pope wanted to free the Church from King’s influence. He made alliances with many German Princes, who were against Henry IV. They together deposed the King who was forced to seek the Pope’s forgiveness.

For this, the King was made to wait for three days on barefoot and in plain clothes in front of the Citadel. The King obtained the Pardon and got back his powers. Later in a melodramatic episode. King Henry IV chased Pope Gregory VII out of Rome. In the 14^th century, the supremacy of the Popes declined because of the following reasons.

1. The contradictions within the Papal order and ecclesiastical arrangements. 

2. The immoral successors. 

3. The rise of National Monarchies.

During the 4^th Century, a conflict between Philip IV, the King of France and Boniface VIII, the Pope at Rome began. It was due to Philip IV imposing taxes on the Church. Boniface VIII opposed this and insisted that the King had to take Papal permission to tax the Church. The conflict went to such an extent that Boniface was beaten to death. After this, Clement V, a Frenchman became the Pope and he moved the. Papal Court to Avignon. It continued in Avignon for 67 years. 7 Popes of this period were all French and remained in Avignon. Gregory XI shifted the Court back to Rome.

During the Papacy of Urban VI, differences arose between him and the Cardinals, which gave rise to Papal Schism. The Cardinals elected Clement VII as Anti-Pope and he shifted the Papal Court back to Avignon. Urban VI continued to be the Pope at Rome. This resulted in the division of Papacy into two groups. To resolve this, the Cardinals elected another Anti-Pope, Alexander V and the other two Popes were asked to resign. They were excommunicated when they refused to do so. Thus the Papal Schism ended by 1414 CE. It led to the decline of power and prestige of the Popes.