Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 6.djvu/876

 GREGORY

790

GREGORY

His death put Lothair in possession of the imperial name. To be emperor in fact, he resolved to crush his brothers by force of arms. Detaining the legate whom Gregory despatched to try and make peace, Lothair crossed the Alps. The terrible battle of Fon- tenay (now Fontenoy-en-Puisaye) near Auxerre (841), resulted not only in the defeat of Lothair, but in the practical annihilation of the Frankish people, and in the end of their empire. While the empire was col- lapsing, the Saracens were pushing forward their con- quests. During Gregory's pontificate they possessed themselves of Sicily, and had been invited into Italy to take part in the wars of the petty princes of South Italy. To do what he could for the .safety of Rome, the pope fortified the ancient Ostia by the erection of a stronghold called after himself Gregoriopolis. Equally for the benefit of Rome and the " Patrimony of St. Peter", Gregory repaired aqueducts and churches and founded "farm colonies" in the Campagna. He seconded the heroic efforts which St. Anschar, the Apostle of the North, was making for the conversion of Sweden, authorizing his consecration as the first Arch- bishop of Hamburg, sending him the pallium, and "before the body and confession of Blessed Peter", giving him "full authority to preach the Gospel" and making him his legate "among the Swedes, Danes and Slavs."

Gregory gave the pallium to the Archbishops of Salzburg, Canterbury, and Grado, and favoured the latter against the encroachments of the Patriarch of Aquileia. He also supported Aldric, Bishop of Le Mans, who got into difficulties through his loyal sup- port of Louis against his rebellious sons. To oblige Louis, Gregory caused some of his ecclesiastics to be trained in music in Rome, and he instructed him to proclaim the observance of the feast of All Saints throughout the empire. Gregory was buried in St. Peter's.

Liher Ponlificalis, ed. Duchesne, II, 73 sqci.; the Liies of Louis the Pious by Theganus in Mon. Germ. Hist.: Hcriptores, II, and P. L., CVI, and by the Astronomer in Mon. Germ. Hist.: Scriptores, II, and P. L.. CIV; the Annals of Einhard, etc.; the Hiatnriie of NiTHABD in P. L., CXV; the works of AooBARD in P. L., CI\'; and the Life of Wala by Paschasius Radbert in P. L., CXX; see Himly, Wala et Louis le Debon- naire; Chevallard. /5'/. Agobard; Mann, Lives of the Popes in the Early Middle Ages, II.

Horace K. Mann.

Gregory V, Pope, b. c. 970; d. 4 Feb.. 999. On the death of John XV the Romans sent a deputation to Otto III and asked him to name the one he would wish them to elect in the place of the deceased pontiff. He at once mentioned his chaplain and relation, Bruno, the son of Duke Otto of Carinthia and of Judith. He was already (996) distinguished for learning, especi- ally for his knowledge of the dialects which were to develop into the languages of modern Europe. If possessed of a somewhat hasty disposition, he was nevertheless a worthy candidate for the papacy, and his election did honour to the Romans who elected him. This first German pope was consecrated 3 May, 996, and his accession was generally hailed with satis- faction. One of his first acts was to crown Otto em- peror (21 May, 996). Throughout the whole of his pontificate he acted in full harmony with his imperial cousin. Together they held a synod a few days after Otto's coronation, in which Arnulf was ordered to be restored to tlie See of Reims, and Gerbert, the future Sylvester II, was condemned as an intruder. Unfor- tunately for himself and the peace of the Church, he prevailed upon the emperor not to banish from Rome the turbulent noble Crescentius Numentanus, " of the Marble Horse ". No sooner did Otto leave Rome than Crescentius roused his adherents to arms and Gregory had to fly to the north. Crescentius did not stop here, but caused an antipope to be proclaimed in the person of the crafty Italo-Greek John Philagathus of Ros- sano, who had artfully made a position for himself at

the court of the Ottos and now took the title of John XVI (997).

At a synod which Gregory had ordered to meet at Pavia, not only were Crescentius and his antipope anathematized, but King Robert of France was threatened with e.xcommunication if he did not put away Bertha whom he had married though she was related to hira not only by spiritual relationship but by blood. After some opposition, Robert finally yielded, and, repenting of his misdeeds, repudiated Bertha and espoused Constance. Gerbert, too, after having been condemned by this synod also, abantloned the See of Reims, and was rewarded with the See of Ravenna. Furious that his authority had been so flouted. Otto marched upon Rome. Philagathus fled from the city and Crescentius shut himself up in the Castle of Sant' Angelo. The emperor's troops pursued the antipope, captured him, deprived him of his nose, ears, eyes, and

Sarcophagus of Gregory V St. Peter's, Rome

tongue, and brought iiim back to Rome. There he was brought before Otto and the pope, and publicly degraded (998). Then, after being driven ignomini- ously through the streets of Rome on an ass, he was transported to Germany, where he seems to have died in the monastery of Fulda (1013). The castle of Sant' Angelo was next besieged, and, when it was taken, Crescentius was hanged upon its walls (998). About the year 997, Archbishop yElfric came to Rome in order to procure his pallium, and to consult the pope about replacing the secular canons, who then held tlie cathedral of Canterbury, by monks, in accordance with the commission he had received from King Ethelred and the Witan. As a mark of special honour, Gregory put his own pallium on MMno, and bade him put into his monastery at Canterbury " men of that order which the Blessed Gregory commanded Augustine therein to place". At the request of Otto, Gregory granted exceptional privileges to many German mon- asteries, and in his company held various synods for the regulation of ecclesiastical affairs. He had to threaten with anathema Ardoin, Marquess of Ivrea, if he did not make amends for his ill-treatment of the property of St. Mary's of Ivrea, its serfs, and its bishop. Gregory V was buried in St. Peter's " in front of the sacristy, i. e. on the Gospel side, near Pope Pelagius".

Duchesne, ed.. Liber Ponlificalis. II, 261 sq.; twenty-two of Gregory's Bulls in P. L., CXXXVII; the chronicles of Thietmar, Leo of Ostia, etc.; the annals of Hildesheim, QuedlinburK, etc.; the lives of S.unts Adalbert, Abbo, Nilus, etc.; the //isfortcr of Radulphus Glaber. Cf. Lenormant, La