Henry V vs Li Zhi

Henry V was elected King of Germany in 1106 after rebelling against his father Henry IV, who died the same year. His accession marked the continuation of the Salian dynasty amid the Investiture Controversy.

Henry V led a military campaign to Italy in 1110-1111 to assert imperial claims over the Papal States and secure his coronation. He captured Rome and forced Pope Paschal II to concede investiture rights, but the agreement was later repudiated.

Pope Paschal II crowned Henry V Holy Roman Emperor in Rome on April 13, 1111, after Henry forced the Pope to grant him the right of investiture. The coronation followed a tense standoff where Henry imprisoned the Pope and cardinals.

Henry V and Pope Callixtus II signed the Concordat of Worms on September 23, 1122, ending the Investiture Controversy. The agreement gave the Church the right to elect bishops but allowed the emperor to invest them with secular authority.

Li Zhi established the Anxi Protectorate to administer the newly conquered territories in Central Asia. This administrative structure governed the Tarim Basin and parts of modern Xinjiang, securing Tang control over the Silk Road trade routes.

Under Li Zhi's reign, Tang forces under Su Dingfang defeated the Western Turkic Khaganate, destroying their power in Central Asia. This victory extended Tang control over the Silk Road and established Chinese hegemony in the region for decades.

Tang forces allied with Silla to conquer the Korean kingdom of Baekje in 660, then Goguryeo in 668. These campaigns brought the Korean Peninsula under Tang suzerainty for a time, marking the greatest territorial extent of the Tang dynasty.

Li Zhi suffered a stroke that impaired his vision and ability to govern. His empress, Wu Zetian, began to handle state affairs, gradually accumulating power. This marked the beginning of her rise to de facto rule, which would later lead to her becoming emperor.