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Why had German princes sworn loyalty to Henry IV before he became king?
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Henry IV
Henry IV, illumination from the manuscript Ekkehardi historia, c. 1113; in possession of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.
German princes swore an oath of fidelity and obedience to Henry IV at Christmas 1050, while he was still a child, to ensure the succession to the throne and the survival of the Salian dynasty following the reign of his father, Henry III.1
This act of loyalty was part of the process that led to Henry IV being elected king at Tribur on July 17, 1053, on the condition that he would be a just ruler. By securing these oaths early, the imperial court aimed to stabilize the future of the Holy Roman Empire and prevent political uncertainty upon the death of the reigning emperor.1