Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 01.djvu/157

 also edited Hutton's ‘Mathematics,’ and belonged to several learned societies, both in Europe and America.



ADRIAN IV (d. 1159), pope, is remarkable as being the only Englishman who ever sat in the chair of St. Peter. His early history is obscure. His name is said to have been Nicholas Breakspear. His father was a poor man, who became a monk in the monastery of St. Albans, and left his son without a protector. The lad made his way to France, maintaining himself by alms. He studied at Arles, and was at length received into the house of the canons regular of St. Rufus near Valence. At first he was in a menial position, but his intelligence and aptitude won him admission into the order. He gradually rose in esteem till he was elected prior and afterwards abbot of St. Rufus. But his discipline was too strict for the canons, and they began to murmur against the foreigner whom they had raised to be their master. They carried their complaints to Pope Eugenius III. Once he made peace; the second time he saw that Abbot Nicholas deserved a higher position. He made him cardinal of Albano in 1146, and soon afterwards sent him on an embassy to the Scandinavian kingdoms. There the Cardinal of Albano did much to strengthen the connexion of the northern church with Rome. He founded at Drontheim a new archiepiscopal see for Norway, and showed much skill in conciliating the clergy. When he returned to Rome, in 1154, he was hailed as the Apostle of the North, and, on the death of Pope Anastasius IV, was elected to be his successor. He was enthroned on Christmas Day, 1154, under the name of Adrian IV.

Adrian IV is described as a man of mild and kindly bearing, esteemed for his high character and learning, famous as a preacher, and renowned for his fine voice (Vita, in, iii. pt. i. 441). He accepted the pontificate with a reluctance which was pardonable in the difficulties which beset the office and threatened its authority. Rome, under the influence of Arnold of Brescia, was animated with a strong republican spirit. William, the Norman king of Sicily, refused to recognise the papal suzerainty over his kingdom. The Greeks were striving to reassert their power in Italy, and threatened the spiritual authority of the pope. Adrian IV was not a man to abate anything of the claims of his office. He was a staunch disciple of the ideas of Hildebrand, and felt himself bound to assert them. At first he was helpless against his enemies in Italy. The only quarter where he could look for aid was the newly elected emperor, Frederick Barbarossa, who had already set forth the imperial claims over North Italy, and announced his intention of coming to Rome to be crowned.

Adrian IV's pontificate began with a disturbance. The Roman republicans fell upon a cardinal in the street and grievously wounded him. The pope showed his resoluteness by a measure which none of his predecessors had ventured to use. He laid Rome under an interdict. The citizens soon began to suffer from the cessation of pilgrims during Lent. As Easter drew near, they could endure no longer, and made submission to the pope. Arnold of Brescia was driven from Rome, and the pope consented to leave the Leonine city and celebrate Easter Day at the Lateran. But this triumph was counterbalanced by the hostilities of the Sicilian king, whose army in May wasted the Campagna. Adrian IV excommunicated William; but this was poor comfort. He looked with mingled hope and anxiety to the approach of Barbarossa, whom he besought to capture the exiled heretic, Arnold of Brescia. Arnold was made prisoner, and Frederick advanced to Nepi, whither the pope went to meet him on 7 June 1155. When Adrian IV came into Frederick's presence, Frederick did not come forward and take the bridle of the pope's horse, or assist him to dismount. On this Adrian refused him the kiss of peace. For some days there was a warm dispute whether or no custom required from the king this observance. Adrian IV's pertinacity won the day, and Frederick, who had the loftiest views of the imperial prerogative, received the pope anew, and led his horse in the sight of the whole German army. Then pope and king proceeded in friendship to Rome. The Roman envoys to the king, demanding that he should respect the rights of the city, were contemptuously dismissed. Rome consequently adopted an attitude of sullen hostility. Frederick encamped on Monte Mario, and his coronation was performed in St. Peter's, unknown to the Roman people, early in the morning of 18 June. When the Romans heard of this, they rushed in anger to storm the Leonine city. Frederick with his troops returned to help the pope, and there was a bloody conflict before the Romans could be driven to recross the Tiber. Adrian IV used the opportunity of the emperor's wrath to urge the execution of Arnold of Brescia, who was tried before the papal officials and put to death.

Frederick was crowned emperor; but he was forced to leave Rome, as he could get no