Melisende Admin
Posts : 210 Join date : 2008-10-26 Location : Australia
| Subject: Pope Stephen IX Tue Nov 04, 2008 10:32 am | |
| Pope Stephen IXBorn Frederick of Lorraine, the brother of Godfrey IV, Duke of Lorraine.
He was the war-like priest, Chancellor and Librarian of Pope Leo IX.
Frederick recruited the Swabian army for Pope Leo (1053) for which to battle the Normans at Civitate. He fought at Civitate - however, the Normans were victorious and Pope Leo was captured.
The following year (1054), Frederick was sent as Papal Delegate to the Byzantine Court on a mission of reconciliation. Following the death of Pope Leo (1054) and the excommunication of the Byzantine Empire (16/7/1054), Frederick returned to Rome.
Frederick became Abbot of Monte Cassino (1057 - 1058).
Following the death of Pope Victor, Emperor Henry was persuaded by Arch Deacon Hildebrand to elect Frederick as Pope. As Pope Leo's lieutenant, he was, to all intents and purposes, a rabid anti-Norman.
Once elected Pope, Frederick did not step down from his position as Abbot of Monte Cassino. He planned to take advantage of Emperor Henry IV's minority to transfer the Imperial House to that of Lorraine - and to that end he ordered the abbey of Monte Cassino to send him all their wealth.
He sent another delegation to revive the Byzantine alliance - but nothing came of this.
Frederick had long been ill and probably died a natural death (28/3/1058) - though there were rumours of poison.
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