A letter from Henry IV, emperor

Translated letter:

To his mother, Henry by the grace of God king, from his whole heart the love of blessing and salvation and whatever is better and beyond if there is [such]. Since it is best that you know everything, we wanted to report to you as our dearest mother what this assembly [of princes] and meeting [with legates] dictated and agreed. After much discussion of our case, finally conquered by the apostolic legation and the counsel and persuasion of all our faithful, many of whom were present, we conceded and allowed the restitution of the bishops who had fled, with the sole reservation that we might be wary of them, however we wish, until the day we set for hearing the case. You should know that the papal legates await that day and determination here. You, indeed, for the good faith we have in you, entreat God assiduously that our cause receive the long expected outcome. What you asked about, on the condition you wish and sent to us, accept certainly whatever we can do for your love.

Original letter:

Matri benedictionis et salutis H. dei gratia rex ex toto corde dilectionem, et si quid est melius et ultra. Omnem successum nostrum quoniam te scire sanum est, quid hec curia et conventus dictaverint et consenserint, tibi utpote dulcissime matri nostre mandare volumus. Post multum cause nostre tractatum tandem victi apostolica legatione et omnium fidelium nostrorum, qui multi aderant, consilio et persuasione, restitutionem transfugarum episcoporum concessimus et permisimus, sic tamen, ut de his, quoquo modo velimus, interim parti nostre caveamus, donec in diem quem nos cause eorum ventilande constituimus; quem diem et terminum eosdem pape legatos hic expectare scias. Tu vero pro bona, quam de te habemus, fiducia, uti res nostra diu expectatum eventum accipiat, a deo sedulo inquiras. Hoc autem, quod nos rogasti, ea conditione, qua vis et mandasti, certissime hoc, et quicquid tue dilectioni impendere poterimus, accipies.

Historical context:

Henry writes to his mother about restoring to the bishops what he had conceded. Agnes and the cardinals had presumably met with Henry at Pforzheim and Nuremberg, and reached a preliminary agreement. Bonizo, in Liber ad amicum (Liber de lite, 1.602), reported of the Nuremberg meeting that "the king promised everything the Roman legates asked, and they returned to Rome with honor and great gifts, carrying the king's letters in which he bound himself to the subjection he owed pope Gregory in all ways" (cited by Caspar, MGH Greg VII, l.85, fn.1 p.122). After the Nuremberg meeting, Agnes apparently went on to Poitiers to see her brother, leaving the cardinals to work out the details, and asked Henry to tell her what happened after she left, which he does in this letter. Agnes intervened with the pope on behalf of her brother, William, but Gregory refused to let him keep his consanguineous bride, "although your sister argued with us about it" (ep.2.3, Sept. 1074). For the dating of the letter, see G.B. Borino, "La lettera di Enrico IV alla madre Agnese imperatrice (1074)," Studi Gregoriani, 6 (1959-61), 297-310.

Printed source:

MGH Die Briefe Heinrichs IV, ep.15, p.21-22, also BRG, Monumenta Bambergensia, ed. P. Jaffé, Udalrici Codex, ep.46, p.100, with two minor variations.