Power is not real — it is what people think of it.

Henry IV and his entourage at the gate of Canossa castle

“The rules are imaginary, their power is just in your head.” — a quote from the show “Unorthodox”.

The defining feature of power is its relationality. Whether we speak about conflict, cooperation, oppression, or empowerment, power only exists through shared beliefs. Power is never transmitted in isolation; it always requires at least two sides that participate — willingly or not — in the same belief system.

When someone puts a gun to another person’s head, demanding money, the interaction is only possible because both parties share an understanding of what a gun can do and how that threat compares to losing money. In a far less coercive scenario — such as buying an ice cream — both sides share beliefs about the acceptable value of the product and about money as a valid medium of exchange.

The same applies to a traffic light. For someone who has never seen one, it is merely a box with colors. The President of the United States is far more likely to stop at a red light than an indigenous inhabitant of a remote jungle village — not because the light has intrinsic power, but because power lives in the shared understanding of what the light means and in the rules and enforcement surrounding it.

Historical anecdotes

Henry IV vs Pope Gregory VII

Henry IV (1050–1106) was Holy Roman Emperor, King of Germany, King of Italy, and King of Burgundy. His power commanded the largest army in Europe. Nevertheless, in the conflict known as the Investiture Controversy, his opponent was not another monarch, but Pope Gregory VII (c. 1015–1085) and the Catholic Church as an institution.

The core issue of the conflict was who had the right to appoint bishops: the secular rulers or the Church itself. Centuries of the Church’s independence in this matter had led to corruption and a massive accumulation of power in the Church’s hands. Henry IV challenged the status quo.

The Pope’s response was the nuclear weapon of the Middle Ages: excommunication from the Church, which also meant no salvation for the king’s soul.

Instantly, the king became powerless. Without the Church’s recognition, he had no legitimacy for the throne. No battle, no fighting, no killing — just one public, remote decision.

The king was desperate. He traveled to Canossa Castle in Italy, crossed the snowy Alps, and stood barefoot, begging for three long, cold days until Pope Gregory absolved Henry and welcomed him back into the Church.

This example showcases the relational nature of power. Popular belief in the Church and in the institutional role of the Pope gave Gregory far more power than all the armies of the secular king Henry could command. Power comes through relational consent, and consent is based on beliefs. Power is not real — it is what people think of it.

John of England vs Pope Innocent III

In a similar case of investiture controversy, John of England (1166–1216) challenged Pope Innocent III (1160/61–1216) over the appointment of the Archbishop of Canterbury. John not only got himself excommunicated; the Pope placed the entire Kingdom of England under interdict, which meant the Church completely refused to conduct spiritual rituals (public masses, weddings, burials).

John tried to use coercive power: he taxed the clergy and confiscated Church lands. But, as in the first case, without recognition by the Church, he was not a legitimate monarch in the eyes of the people — which meant a real threat of rebellion.

John capitulated. He submitted England to the Pope and declared himself a vassal of the Papacy.

Philip IV vs Pope Boniface VIII

Power over beliefs is not exclusive to popes. Pope Boniface VIII (c. 1235–1303) tried to assert supremacy over kings by issuing the bull known as Unam Sanctam, which essentially declared the dominance of the spiritual order over the secular one.

The bull was preceded by a longer conflict over taxation: the French king Philip IV (1268–1314) issued laws to tax the clergy, while the Pope issued bulls such as Clericis Laicos, relieving the clergy from taxation. As in the previous example, the Pope excommunicated the king. The fights within the same belief system are like football matches — two teams playing the same game against each other. These historical fights were fights between belief systems — these are like a football and a handball team trying to convince each other and the fans in the stadium which game is to be played.

This time the king used a weapon from the opponent’s game: he accused the Pope of heresy. This accusation enabled him to use the coercive power of his army to arrest and torture the Pope. Moreover, the king forced the papacy into Avignon, effectively turning the Pope into a French client.

Henry VIII of England vs Pope Clement VII

The conflict between the secular king Henry VIII of England (1491–1547) and the spiritual leader Pope Clement VII (1478–1534) also ended in the king’s favor. The Pope refused to annul Henry’s marriage. Henry responded by creating the Church of England. He dissolved Catholic monasteries and seized Church wealth. Belief in God was acceptable, but loyalty to the Catholic Church became criminal.

Henry not only destroyed the power of Clement as the occupant of the institutional role “the Pope,” but effectively stripped the entire Catholic Church of power in England by reshaping people’s beliefs. Again, power is not real — it is what people think of it.

Power is not located in objects or people alone. It emerges in the relationship between them — through belief, recognition, acquiescence, and participation in the same symbolic order.

Power is not real — it is what people think of it.

Outlook

👉 Free Webinar: You can learn more about the dynamics of power — and how to use non-toxic power tactics to reshape the power landscape around you — by attending the free webinar “The Architecture of Power” on February 23, 2026. Event link: here.

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