St. Gregory VII, also known as Hildebrand of Sovana, was a powerful and influential figure in the Catholic Church during the 11th century. He was born in Sovana, Italy in 1073 and was elected pope in 1073. He is best known for his reforms of the Church, which included the establishment of the papal monarchy, the strengthening of the papacy's authority over the Church, and the reform of the clergy.
Gregory VII was a strong advocate of papal supremacy and the reform of the Church. He believed that the Church should be free from the interference of secular rulers and that the pope should have the ultimate authority over the Church. He also believed that the Church should be free from the influence of simony, the practice of buying and selling Church offices. He was a strong opponent of lay investiture, the practice of secular rulers appointing Church officials. He believed that only the pope should have the authority to appoint Church officials.
Gregory VII was also a strong advocate of reform within the Church. He believed that the Church should be more unified and that the clergy should be held to a higher standard of morality. He also believed that the Church should be more open to the laity and that the laity should be more involved in the Church's activities. He also believed that the Church should be more open to the use of new technologies and that the Church should be more open to the use of new ideas.
Gregory VII was also a strong advocate of the Crusades. He believed that the Crusades were a necessary part of the Church's mission to spread the Gospel and to protect the Church from the threat of Islamic expansion. He also believed that the Crusades were a way to bring about a unified Christian world.
Gregory VII was also a strong advocate of education and the spread of knowledge. He believed that the Church should be more open to the use of new technologies and that the Church should be more open to the use of new ideas. He also believed that the Church should be more open to the use of new forms of education and that the Church should be more open to the use of new forms of scholarship.
Gregory VII was a powerful and influential figure in the Catholic Church during the 11th century. He was a strong advocate of papal supremacy and the reform of the Church. He was also a strong advocate of the Crusades and the spread of knowledge. He was a powerful and influential figure in the Catholic Church during the 11th century and his reforms had a lasting impact on the Church.