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Why did Gregory VII believe the pope had special authority as St. Peter’s successor?

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Gregory VII excommunicating Henry IV — St. Gregory VII Pope Gregory VII, after his expulsion from Rome, laying a ban of excommunication on the clergy “together with the raging king” (Henry IV of Germany), drawing from the 12th-century chronicle of Otto of Freising; in the library of the University of Jena, Germany.

Gregory VII’s conviction regarding papal authority was rooted in the Petrine theory, which asserts that Jesus Christ founded his church upon the apostle Peter and bestowed upon him the "keys of the Kingdom" (Matthew 16:18–19).12

Gregory VII viewed himself as the living representative and successor of St. Peter, believing this connection granted the pope a unique commission from Christ to rule over the church. His specific beliefs included:32

Sanctification: He believed the pope is personally sanctified by the merit of St. Peter, ensuring that the papacy remains a true Christian authority that does not deviate from the faith.324
Divine Commission: As Peter’s successor, the pope inherits the responsibility to restore the church to its proper place in the world order, a mission Gregory described as iustitia (justice).2
Absolute Authority: Because of this link to Peter, Gregory maintained that the pope alone possesses the right to define the true faith and issue new laws, necessitating absolute and unquestioned obedience from all Christians.32

These principles were central to his centralization of the church, as outlined in the Dictatus papae.324