Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 01.djvu/582

LEFT BENEDICT 482 BENEDICT portunate in trying to carry out these orders that he was forbidden to seek further interviews with King William. The Ambassador had reiterated the de- mands of his government to the King while the latter was taking a walk on the promenade at Ems, thus committing a breach of court etiquette, and abusing his privileges as an ambassador. The refusal of the King to again receive Ben- edetti gave great offense in France, and was made a pretext for declaring war within a few days. After the fall of the Empire, Benedetti withdrew from public life. In 1871 he published a pam- phlet charging Bismarck with the whole responsibility, to which the latter made a vigorous reply. Benedetti was author of "Studies in Diplomacy," an English translation of which appeared in 1895. He died in Paris, March 28, 1900. BENEDICT I., POPE, succeeded John III., 575; died in 578, and was himself succeeded by Pelagius II. BENEDICT II. succeeded Leo II., 684; died in 685, and was succeeded by John V. BENEDICT III. succeeded Leo IV., 855. During his pontificate, the Sar- acens were ravaging Apulia and Cam- pania. He died in 858, and was suc- ceeded by Nicholas I. BENEDICT IV., succeeded John IX., about 900. He crowned Louis, son of Boson, Emperor and King of Italy. He died in 903, and was succeeded by Leo V. BENEDICT V. succeeded Leo VIII. in 964, and was appointed by the Romans in opposition to Leo VIII. The Emperor Otho, supporter of Leo, appeared before Rome with an army, reduced the city to famine, and a new assembly of the clergy declared to be null the election of Ben- edict, who was exiled. He died in 965. BENEDICT VI. succeeded John XIII. in 972. After the death of the Emperor Otho I., the Romans imprisoned Ben- edict, who was strangled in the castle of St. Angelo, in 974. BENEDICT VII., of the family of Conti, elected in 975. During his pon- tificate, the Emperor Otho II. came re- peatedly to Rome, where he died in 984. Benedict died about the same time, and was succeeded by John XIV. BENEDICT VIII., of the same family, succeeded Sergius IV., in 1012. In 1016, the Saracens from Sardinia having landed on the coast of Tuscany, Ben- edict attacked and defeated them. He crowned the Emperor Henry II., and his wife, in the Church of St. Peter. He died in 1024, and was succeeded by his brother, John XIX. BENEDICT IX., a relative of the two preceding Popes, succeeded John XIX. in 1034. He was then very young, some say only 10 years old. He was dis- tinguished by his licentiousness and profligacy, and by the state of anarchy in which Rome was plunged during his pontificate. He was deposed in 1048, and died in a convent in 1054, being suc- ceeded by Leo IX. BENEDICT X. was elected by a faction after the death of Stephen IX., in 1058; but the Council of Siena nom- inated Nicholas II. Benedict did not sub- mit till the following year, when Nicholas made his entrance into Rome. He died in 1059. BENEDICT XI., a Dominican, suc- ceeded Boniface VIII., in 1303. Con- temporary historians speak highly of his character and virtues. He died in 1304, and was succeeded by Clement V. BENEDICT XII., JACQUES FOITE- NIEB., a native of France, succeeded John XXII., in 1334, the Popes residing then at Avignon. His strictness in en- forcing discipline among the monastic or- ders excited many enemies against him, who endeavored to cast aspersions upon his character. He died in 1342, and was succeeded by Clement VI. BENEDICT XIII., Cardinal Orsini, succeeded Innocent XIII., in 1724, but it was with difficulty that he could be made to accept the pontificate. Benedict lived with the greatest frugality, and has been called more a monk than a Pope. His great fault was his implicit confidence in Cardinal Coscia, to whom he left the entire management of his government, and who much abused it. He died in February, 1731. His works were published in 1728, in three volumes folio. He was succeeded by Clement XII. BENEDICT XIV. was born at Bologna in 1675, of the noble family of Lam- bertini. In 1728 he received a cardinal's hat; and in 1731 was nominated Arch- bishop of Bologna. On the death of Clement XII. (1740), he succeeded to the Papal throne. He reformed abuses, in- troduced good regulations, cultivated let- ters, encouraged men of learning, and was a patron of the fine arts. His toler- ance exposed him to the censure of the rigorists among the College of Cardinals. Without exhibiting anything like indif- ference to the doctrines of the Church of which he Avas the head, he showed