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Why did Gregory VII oppose lay investiture by kings and emperors?

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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.

Pope Gregory VII opposed lay investiture as part of his broader mission to restore the moral integrity and independence of the church, which he believed had lost its original purity. His opposition was rooted in the following key principles:1

Canonical Integrity: Gregory insisted that bishops and abbots must be canonically elected by the clergy rather than appointed by secular rulers. He viewed these leaders as the only true shepherds fit to guide Christians, citing the Gospel According to John (10:1–18) to emphasize that Christ is the only legitimate "door" to the sheepfold.1
Combating Corruption: Lay investiture was frequently linked to simony—the illicit purchase of ecclesiastical offices—and other corrupt practices. By prohibiting lay rulers from installing prelates, Gregory sought to eliminate the influence of worldly interests in church governance.1
Papal Supremacy: Beyond the specific act of investiture, the conflict concerned the place of the emperor in Christian society. Gregory asserted that only the pope held supreme authority, arguing that the papacy had the power to judge and even depose emperors. He challenged the "sacred" status of the emperor, maintaining that imperial dignity was conveyed by the pope, who could withhold or withdraw it.2

Ultimately, Gregory sought to establish the church as an independent institution, free from the control of secular monarchs.23