linguistic:translation
Restoration

Welf of Bavaria's father, Adalbert Azzo II of Este, mediated a reconciliation between his son and the Emperor in early 1096. Henry restored Bavaria to Welf who lifted the blockade of the Alpine passes, enabling Henry to return to Germany in May. Aristocrats who had rebelled against Henry came to pay homage to him at assemblies held in Regensburg, Nuremberg and Mainz. He allowed the Jews, who had been forcibly converted to Christianity, to return to Judaism. In early 1098, Berthold II of Zähringen was also reconciled with Henry who exempted his domains from the jurisdiction of the dukes of Swabia and rewarded him with the hereditary title of duke.

The German magnates and prelates deposed Henry's rebellious son, Conrad, and elected his 12-year-old brother, Henry V, as Henry's co-ruler in May 1098. Conrad was abandoned by his allies and died forgotten in Tuscany. While in Mainz, Henry ordered an investigation into the missing property of the Jews who had been murdered by the crusaders. Several witnesses stated that Archbishop Ruthard of Mainz and his kinsmen had stolen large portions of it. Fearing retribution, the Archbishop and his kinsmen fled to Thuringia and began plotting against Henry.

Bretislav II, who had succeeded King Vratislaus as Duke of Bohemia, met Henry in Regensburg at Eastertide 1099. He wanted to alter the traditional order of succession to the Bohemian throne in favour of his brother, Bořivoj II. Henry granted his request and invested Bořivoj with Bohemia on 19 April. Although the dukes of Bohemia had acknowledged the German monarchs' suzerainty, this was the first occasion on which a Bohemian duke was invested in the same manner as the rulers of the German duchies. The restoration of public order was one of Henry's principal goals during the next months. He held assemblies at Bamberg and Mainz and ordered the (mainly Franconian and Saxon) magnates who were present to pursue robbers and thieves.

Antipope Clement III died on 8 September 1100, and his cardinals elected Theoderic of Albano as his successor. Henry's Italian supporters acknowledged Theoderic as the lawful pope, but Henry did not make contact with him. Count Henry of Limburg captured properties of Prüm Abbey. The Emperor laid siege to Limburg, forcing the Count to surrender in May 1101. The Emperor soon forgave Henry of Limburg for his rebellion and made him duke of Lower Lorraine before the end of the year.

An assembly of the German leaders proposed that Henry make peace with Pope Urban II's successor, Paschal II, in late 1101; there is no proof Henry followed their advice. Pope Paschal II was determined to overcome Henry and ordered his legate, Bishop Gebhard of Constance, to keep the resistance against the Emperor alive in Germany. The papal synod confirmed Henry's excommunication in the Lateran Basilica on 3 April.

Robert II, Count of Flanders, allied with Bishop Manasses of Cambrai —a Frenchman supported by the Pope—against Walcher whom Henry had appointed to replace Manasses as bishop of Cambrai. Robert laid siege to Cambrai; Henry came to Walcher's rescue, forcing Robert to lift the siege in October 1102, but Robert resumed the war on Walcher soon after Henry left Cambrai. Henry held a general assembly in Mainz on 6 January 1103, and proclaimed the Reichsfriede (imperial peace), prohibiting feuds and other acts of violence, for the first time in the whole empire. He threatened those who broke the peace with mutilation, without allowing the wealthy to pay penance.

Henry also announced he was planning to launch a crusade to the Holy Land. He addressed a letter to Hugh of Cluny. In it he explained to his godfather he intended to "make good the ruin of the Church, which was caused by us, through the restoration of peace and justice". His correspondence with Hugh (who was Pope Paschal II's staunch supporter) suggests Henry was seeking reconciliation. The Pope regarded Henry as the "chief of the heretics". He granted Robert II of Flanders the "remission of sins" (the same spiritual privilege granted to crusaders) for his fight against the Emperor's supporters. Robert II, however, feared losing his imperial fiefs and swore fealty to Henry in Liège on 29 June 1103.