Hello and welcome to the history of the Germans, episode 92, the papal epilogue.

The popes have won the 200-year fight with the Empress, first the Salians and then the

Hohenstaufen, a total war that ended in total victory. The impiel family of the Henrys of Weiglingen

had been annihilated, either in battle through illness or at a last resort by execution. The empire

is reduced from dominating power in Europe to just a coordinating mechanism for its princes.

How could anyone deny that, to use the words of Pope Wainifast VIII, it is altogether necessary

for salvation for every human creature to be subject to the Roman pontiff?

Well, someone will deny that, and six years after these words were uttered the church will

march north into

its Babylonian captivity.

How did that happen?

Now that is an even more intriguing question than how the Hohenstaufen could be wiped out.

Before we start, just a reminder.

The history of the Germans podcast is advertising free,

thanks to the generous support from patrons. And you can become a patron too and enjoy

exclusive bonus episodes and other privileges from the price of a latte per month.

All you have to do is sign up at patreon.com slash history of the Germans or on my website,

history of the Germans.com. You find all the links in the show notes and thanks a lot to Mark

D, Leo von M and Anthony B who've already signed up. And there's another thing. I'm planning

a Q&A session in about two weeks.

So, if you have any questions relating to the podcast,

the history we've gone through these last two years or more general topics,

...