Abstract

This paper analyzes medieval Pope Gregory VII’s role in building coalitions that stimulated urban self-government, a crucial development in the European state-formation process. In the eleventh century, Gregory came to spearhead a reform program that attempted to curb lay control of the Catholic Church, in direct opposition with secular rulers such as German Emperor Henry IV. We argue that Gregory’s campaign — called the “papal revolution” by one prominent scholar — fostered urban associationalism and political autonomy via his ties to local town elites. Gregory’s promotion of church reform through his network thereby opened up a wedge that enabled towns to become self-governing. Enlisting new data on Gregory’s correspondence, we provide evidence that receiving more letters from the pope is associated with a higher likelihood of overthrowing the authority of lay-appointed bishops and introducing political self-government.