Gregory (Name of a number of popes)

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

the name of a number of popes. GREGORY I., surnamed the Great, a Pope; born in Rome, about 544. He showed such abilities as a senator that the Emperor Justinus appointed him prefect of Rome, after which he embraced the monastic life in a society founded by himself. Pope Pela Pelagius II. sent him as nuncio to Constantinople, and on his return made him apostolical secretary. He was elected successor to that pontiff in 590. Pope Gregory was pious and charitable, had lofty notions of the papal authority, was a reformer of the clerical discipline, and after his death was canonized. His works are comprised in four volumes. He died in 604. GREGORY II., St., succeeded Constantine in the pontificate in 715, and died in 731. GREGORY III., a native of Syria, succeeded Gregory II. He sent legates to Charles Martel to demand succor against the Lombards, which embassy is considered to be the origin of the apostolical nuncios in France. Died in 741. GREGORY IV., a Roman, succeeded Valentine in 828, and was greatly esteemed for his learning and piety. Died in 844. GREGORY V., a German, and a kinsman of the Emperor Otho, succeeded John XV., in 996. An anti-pope, named John XVI., was set up against him by Crescentius, a consul of Rome, but was expelled by the emperor. Died in 999. GREGORY VI., a Roman, succeeded John XIX., who finding the lands and revenues of his church greatly diminished by usurpations, and the roads infested by robbers, acted with such vigor that a powerful party was raised against him by those who had been accustomed to live by plunder. At a council held at Sutri in 1046 Gregory abdicated the pontificate. Died in Cologne, about 1048. GREGORY VII., HILDEBRAND, Son of a no, Tuscany, about , carpenter; born in Soano 1020. He was the friend and counsellor of Leo IX. and the four succeeding Popes, and on the death of Alexander II. was elected to succeed him in 1073. He obtained confirmation in his election from the Emperor Henry IV., and immediately applied himself zealously to reform simony and the licentiousness of the clergy. In his view, however, marriage, no less than concubinage, was a sin in them. He menaced the emperor and the King of France, the latter without effect. In 1074 he assembled a council, by which it was forbidden the prelates to receive investiture of a layman; and this was the first step in the quarrel with the emperor, which lasted so many years. Henry, disregarding the papal authority, was summoned to Rome; but he held a diet at Worms, and pronounced the deposition of the Pope. To this Gregory replied by procuring the deposition of the emperor and the election of another, Rudolph of Suabia. Henry now promised submission; and in the early winter of 1077 went with his wife and child to Italy. The Pope was at the castle of Canossa, and there, after keeping the penitent Emperor of Germany three days waiting at the gate, he received him and gave him absolution. The terms imposed on him were intolerable, and he soon broke them, made war on Rudolph, and defeated him, set up a rival Pope in Guibert, Archbishop of Ravenna, with the title of Clement III., and after several unsuccessful attempts entered Rome in 1084, had himself crowned emperor by his own Pope, and besieged Gregory in San Angelo. The Pope was delivered by Guiscard, and retiring to Salerno, 108 died there May 25, 1085. GREGORY VIII., born in Benevento, succeeded Urban III., 1187, and died the same year, after having exhorted the Christian princes to undertake a new crusade. GREGORY IX., UGOLINO, Count of Segni, a native of Campania, and a near relative of Innocent III.; born about 1147. He became bishop of Ostia, and cardinal, and in 1227 succeeded Honorius III. His coronation surpassed in magnificence any which had preceded it, and the ceremony lasted three days. The principal events of his pontificate were the various incidents of his contest with the great Emperor Frederick II., whom he repeatedly excommunicated, absolving his subjects from their allegiance, and proclaiming a crusade against him. In 1229 Gregory levied a tithe on all movables in England toward the expenses of his war with Frederick. He established, a few years later, the inquisition at Toulouse and Carcassonne, excited by his haughty demeanor a revolt at Rome in 1234, and was driven from the city, to which he did not return for three years. St. Anthony of Padua, St. Dominic, and St. Elizabeth were canonized by Gregory, who died in Rome, Aug. 21, 1241. GREGORY X., of the illustrious family of Visconti, was elected Pope in 1271, after an interregnum of two years, at which time he was in the Holy Land. He assembled a council at Lyons, to pro- Eastern and mote a union between the Western Churches, and other objects. Died in 1276. GREGORY XI., PETER ROGER, a native of Limousin, in France, was a nephew of Clement VI., and son of the Count of Beaufort. He was elevated to the pontificate in 1370, after the death of Urban learning, and en- V., was a patron of deavored to reconcile the princes of Christendom and to reform the religious societies. He transferred the papal from Avignon to Rome, where he died in 1378. GREGORY XII., ANGELO CORNARO, a native of Venice, was raised to the pontiin 1406, during the schism in the ficate East, Benedict XIII. being the other Pope. Both were deposed by a council in held at Pisa, and Alexander V. elected their stead. Gregory submitted, and laid aside the pontifical dignity. Died in 1417.