Worms Concordat

The Worms Concordat was an agreement made in 1122 between the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry V. It resolved a conflict over who had the authority to appoint church officials like bishops. The treaty allowed the emperor to invest bishops with symbols of their office (like rings and crosiers), but the Pope retained the right to approve their spiritual authority. This compromise aimed to balance secular and church powers, reducing disputes over religious appointments and strengthening both institutions' roles within medieval Europe.