Editing Pope Honorius II (section)

===Relations with the Holy Roman Empire===

Honorius immediately came into conflict with Emperor Henry V over imperial claims in Italy.<ref>Mann, pg. 237</ref> In 1116, Henry had crossed the [[Alps]] to lay claim to the Italian territories of [[Matilda of Tuscany]], which she had supposedly left to the papacy on her death.<ref name="Mann, pg. 238">Mann, pg. 238</ref> Henry had immediately begun appointing imperial vicars throughout the newly acquired province over the objections of both the Tuscan cities and the papacy.<ref name="Mann, pg. 238" /> To maintain papal claims to Tuscany, Honorius appointed Albert, a papal [[marquis]], to rule in the pope's name in opposition to the imperial [[Margrave of Tuscany]], Conrad von Scheiern.<ref name="Mann, pg. 238" /> In addition, Henry V made very little effort to implement the terms of the Concordant of Worms, to Honorius II's irritation.<ref name="Mann, pg. 238" /> Local churches were forced to appeal to Rome to obtain restitution from the imperial bishops who had taken advantage of the Investiture Controversy to obtain property for their own benefit, as the Emperor turned a blind eye.<ref>Mann, pg. 239</ref>

[[File:Urkunde Wormser Konkordat.jpg|thumb|The [[Concordat of Worms]], which Honorius II helped to draft and which Emperor [[Lothair III]] was forced to comply with for Papal support]]
The death of Emperor Henry V on 23 May 1125 put an end to these squabbles, but soon Honorius was involved in a new power struggle in the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. Henry died childless and had nominated his nephew [[Frederick II, Duke of Swabia|Frederick Hohenstaufen]], [[Duke of Swabia]], to succeed him as [[King of the Romans]] and Holy Roman Emperor.<ref name="Mann, pg. 240">Mann, pg. 240</ref> Of the German princes, the ecclesiastical faction was against any expansion of Hohenstaufen power,<ref name="Levillain, pg. 732" /> and they were determined to ensure that Frederick would not succeed Henry. Led by [[Archbishop of Mainz|Archbishop]] [[Adalbert I of Mainz|Adalbert of Mainz]], the [[archchancellor]] of the empire, and under the watchful gaze of two papal legates, Cardinals [[Pope Lucius II|Gherardo]] and Romano, the clerical and lay nobles of the empire elected [[Lothair of Supplinburg]], [[Duke of Saxony]].<ref name="Mann, pg. 241">Mann, pg. 241</ref> At Lothair's request,<ref name="Levillain, pg. 732" /> Cardinal Gherardo and two bishops then sent word to Rome to obtain Honorius's confirmation of the election, which he granted.<ref name="Mann, pg. 241" /> This was a coup for Honorius, as such a confirmation had never occurred before,<ref name="Levillain, pg. 732" /> and around July 1126 Honorius invited Lothair to Rome to obtain the imperial title.<ref name="Mann, pg. 241" /> Lothair was keen to keep Honorius on his side, keeping to the terms of the Concordat of Worms by not attending episcopal elections, agreeing that the investiture should only occur after the bishop's consecration, and that the oath of homage be replaced with an oath of fidelity.<ref name="Levillain, pg. 732" />

Lothair was unable to visit Rome immediately as Germany was rocked by the rebellion of the Hohenstaufen brothers, with [[Conrad III of Germany|Conrad Hohenstaufen]] elected anti-king in December 1127, followed by his descent into Italy and his crowning as [[King of Italy]] at [[Monza]] on 29 July 1128.<ref name="Levillain, pg. 732" /> The German bishops, again led by Adalbert of Mainz, [[excommunicated]] Conrad, an act that was confirmed by Honorius in a [[synod]] held in Rome at [[Easter]] (22 April 1128).<ref>Mann, pg. 242</ref> Honorius also sent Cardinal John of Crema to [[Pisa]] to hold another synod that excommunicated [[Anselm V (Archbishop of Milan)|Archbishop Anselm of Milan]], who had crowned Conrad king.<ref name="Levillain, pg. 732" /> Conrad found little help in Italy and with Honorius's support, Lothair was able to keep his throne.<ref>Mann, pg. 243</ref>

One of the key ecclesiastical advisors of Lothair III was Saint [[Norbert of Xanten]],<ref name="Levillain, pg. 732" /> who travelled to Rome in early 1126<ref name="Mann, pg. 244">Mann, pg. 244</ref> to seek the formal sanction from Honorius to establish a new monastic order, the [[Premonstratensian Order]] (also known as the Norbertines),<ref name="Thomas, pg. 90" /> which Honorius agreed to do.<ref name="Mann, pg. 244" />