August 7 1106 – 5 Elul 4866
Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor and – relative to his predecessors and successors, at least – friend of the Jews, died. In 1095 Henry had outlawed the forcible baptism of his Jewish subjects, and during the First Crusade he tried (vainly) to protect them. Later, he also permitted those who’d converted under duress to return to Judaism, despite Pope Gregory VII’s opposition. Having spent most of his reign at odds with the pontiff, Henry was even briefly excommunicated – until he accepted papal authority in his famous Walk to Canossa in 1077.
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