William the Conqueror refuses fealty to the Pope (c. 1075)
In line with his Papal dictation, Gregory VII had demanded that the English king recognise him as his overlord. Though William declined to hand over his kingdom, he was still eager to benefit from papal prayers and promised to send along his overdue “Peter’s pence” — but only as alms, not as tribute. William's refusal set in motion a thirty-year process of wearing down successive English kings to get the first concordat.
“Peter's pence”:
Silver pennies sent to Rome
In those days pennies were the only coins, and William the Conqueror marked his with PILLEM REX ANGLO, William King of England. (Could the cross and sceptre refer to his practice of investing both bishops and lay lords?) William collected a tax of one penny per household for the Papal See. However, he makes it clear that this payment represents alms — the usual prayers-for-fee arrangement — and should on no account be understood as tribute to a feudal overlord.
Refusing fealty to the Pope (c. 1075 A.D.)
William, by the grace of God the renowned king of the English, and Duke of the Normans, sends greetings of friendship to Gregory, the most noble Shepherd of the Holy Church.
Your legate Hubert came to me as your representative, Holy Father, and ordered me to do fealty to you and your successors, and to think better of my decision about the money [i.e., "Peter's pence"] which my predecessors were accustomed to send to the Roman Church: I agreed to one of these requests, but not to the other. I refused to do fealty, and I will not do it; for I did not promise it, nor do I find that my predecessors did fealty to yours.
As to the money, it has been carelessly collected for almost three years, during the time that I was in Gaul. Now that I have returned to my kingdom, by the mercy of God, what has been collected is being sent by the aforesaid legate, and the remainder will be dispatched, when opportunity is offered, by the legate of Lafranc, our trusty Archbishop.
Pray for us, and for the well-being of our realm, for we have loved your predecessors and wish to love you with all our heart and to hear you obediently, above all things.
Source: Letter to Gregory VII (c. 1075): Giles, Patres Eccl. Angl.: Lafranc, i. 32, letter x. Henry Scowcroft Bettenson, ed., Documents of the Christian Church, (Oxford University press, 1976) p. 155.
