One of the central themes of European history has been the sometimes stormy relations between the two highest authorities of Christianity, the Pope and the Emperor, with all the implications the conflict between spiritual and temporal power had for the development of the West. This is particularly true for the early modern period, which spawned the birth of rival Christian churches. The fifteen contributions in this volume, the results of a conference held in Rome in 2003, combine in-depth archival research with the results of interdisciplinary approaches. They cover political and diplomatic events as well as insights into the mentality of the period and the importance of cultural status in the context of court ceremony.