Dominium mundi is an idea of universal dominion developed in the
Middle Ages. Inspired by the memory of the
Roman Empire,
dominium mundi implied the recognition of one supreme authority, which generated a prolonged political and spiritual struggle between imperial and ecclesiastical power. This struggle can be said to have begun with the
Investiture Controversy, and was mainly embodied by the
Holy Roman Empire and
Catholic Church, which elevated the
emperor and
Pope, respectively, to the status of supreme ruler. The idea of universal dominion divided
Italy into the warring faction of
Guelphs and Ghibellines. Guelphs supported the Church, while Ghibellines supported the Empire. After two hundred years of division during the 12th and 13th centuries, neither of the powers had prevailed, due to their mutual dependency and the rise of the powerful and practically independent reigns of
Church and the State. The idea of
dominium mundi did not reappear in its original form, despite the fact that both
universal powers subsisted.