Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor

Probably born in August 1081 or 1086, Henry was made co-ruler by his father Henry IV in 1098, then turned on him during the Investiture Controversy — siding with imperial princes and reform papacy against the man who'd raised him up. He forced Henry IV to abdicate on 31 December 1105. For five years he ruled cooperatively with the princes, tried to strip bishops of their regalia, failed, then captured Pope Paschal II and compelled him to perform the imperial coronation in 1111. Once emperor, he abandoned power-sharing and returned to Salian autocratic tradition. By 1121 the princes had boxed h…