St. Gregory VII

Hildebrand spent decades working behind the scenes in Rome before becoming pope in 1073. He inherited a Church riddled with corruption: bishops were bought and sold, priests kept concubines, and kings appointed whoever they wanted to Church offices. Gregory declared that the pope alone had authority over the Church, and that included the right to depose emperors. Emperor Henry IV disagreed violently. Their fight, known as the Investiture Controversy, led to Henry standing barefoot in the snow at Canossa begging for forgiveness in 1077, one of the most dramatic scenes in medieval history. But Henry came back with an army. Gregory died in exile in Salerno, reportedly saying, "I have loved justice and hated iniquity; therefore I die in exile."