1076 CE
A year of escalating confrontation between pope and emperor as the Investiture Controversy erupted into open conflict, with Henry IV declaring Pope Gregory VII deposed and the pope responding with excommunication.
Religion & Power
- Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV convened a synod of German bishops at Worms in January, which declared Pope Gregory VII deposed, rejecting the pope's claims to authority over the appointment of bishops and other clergy.
- Pope Gregory VII responded by excommunicating Henry IV at a Lenten synod in Rome in February, releasing the emperor's subjects from their oaths of allegiance and forbidding anyone from serving him as king.
- The excommunication emboldened Henry's opponents among the German princes, who met at Tribur in October and gave the emperor one year to obtain papal absolution or face deposition, setting the stage for his dramatic journey to Canossa.
Conflict in West Africa
- The Almoravid movement, a Berber Islamic reform movement from the western Sahara, was expanding its control across West Africa and preparing to cross into Iberia, reshaping the political map of both regions.
Climate & Environment
- Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration was approximately 275 parts per million, as later confirmed by ice core analysis.
Population & Demographics
- World population is estimated to have been approximately 316 million.