History glossary
Investiture
the ceremony or act that gave someone the symbols and rights of a public or church office.
- Category
- Political and religious practice
- Region
- Western and Central Europe
- Date range
- Medieval period
What it means
In medieval Europe, investiture was the act of installing someone in an office, often by handing over a symbol of authority. The dispute between rulers and popes became especially serious when kings claimed a role in appointing bishops, who held both spiritual office and valuable lands and rights.
Stories using this term
The Rise of the Medieval Church
From the fall of the Western Roman Empire to the Avignon papacy, this story traces how the Christian Church built its authority through bishops, monasteries, missions, reform, and direct confrontation with Europe's rulers.
Feudalism and Medieval Society
From the estates of Charlemagne's empire to the flowering of Gothic cathedrals, this story explores how feudal hierarchies, manorial agriculture, and Church authority shaped the lives of kings, knights, and peasants alike.
The Holy Roman Empire
From Otto I’s coronation to Napoleon’s upheaval, emperors, princes, bishops and cities built a political order sustained by contested and shared authority.
