This is the first book in English devoted to the German king and emperor Henry IV (1056-1106), whose reign was one of the most momentous in German history and a turning-point in the history of the medieval empire (the kingdoms of Germany, Italy and Burgundy)." "The reign was marked by continuous rebellions and fluctuating fortune. Earlier reigns had also witnessed conflict between crown and aristocracy, but Henry IV's reign differed in that his conflicts could never be definitively resolved either by negotiation or by resorting to war.