LEGISLATIVE POWER [590-867 A.D.]

5190 =Gregory (I) the Great= elected pope. He raises the papacy to eminence and determines its future policy. Gregory’s work is of threefold character. (1) He perfects the church ritual and introduces a new mode of chanting, and organises the revenues of the church. (2) He exercises supreme authority over the churches of western Europe. The Lombards are converted from Arianism, 599, and Britain is converted by St. Augustine. (3) He makes the pope a temporal sovereign. By this time the bishop of Rome has become the largest landholder in Italy. The Lombard invasion has given the bishops opportunity for temporal control, and in Rome and its vicinity the people recognise Gregory at the head of affairs.

2604 =Sabinianus.=

3607 =Boniface III.= The emperor Phocas bestows title of universal bishop on Boniface, but the patriarch of Constantinople resumes it on Phocas’ death.

4608 =Boniface IV.= He converts the Roman Pantheon into a Christian church.

5615 =Deusdedit.=

6618 =Boniface V.=

7625 =Honorius I.= The monothelitic controversy begins.

8638 =Severinus.= He is not confirmed until 640.

9640 =John IV.= The monothelite doctrine condemned.

10642 =Theodore I.=

11649 =Martin I.= The whole West repudiates monothelitism. Martin condemns the Type of Constans II.

12653 Martin seized by the exarch and carried to Constantinople, by order of Constans.

13654 =Eugenius I= elected in place of the absent Martin.

14655 Martin banished to Cherson, where he soon dies.

15657 =Vitalianus.=

16672 =Adeodatus.=

17676 =Domnus= or =Donus I=.

18678 =Agatho.= Time of Wilfrid’s preaching in Britain and Gaul.

19680 The Sixth Œcumenic Council at Constantinople settles the monothelitic question.

20682 =Leo II.= 683, =Benedict II=. 685, =John V=. 686, =Conon=.

21687 =Sergius I.= _Paschal_ and _Theodore_ are supported as anti-popes by different factions. The exarch finally recognises Sergius.

22701 =John VI.= He saves the life of the exarch in a rising of the army. He drives the invading duke of Benevento back to his own territory.

23705 =John VII.= The emperor Justinian II tries to force certain decrees objectionable in the West upon the church of Rome.

24708 =Sisinnius= lives but twenty days after election. =Constantine.= Justinian perseveres in his aim to reduce the West to obedience.

25710 Constantine goes to Constantinople at order of Justinian, who remains content with this act of submission.

26715 =Gregory II.= Time of Bede’s teaching.

27725 Boniface establishes the German church.

28726 The emperor Leo issues edict against image-worship. Italy rebels.

29728 Rebellion of Ravenna over the iconoclastic edict. Liutprand, the Lombard king, captures the city. The papacy begins to free itself from the Eastern Empire. The popes are unwilling to submit themselves to the Lombards. Gregory appeals to Charles Martel for aid against the Lombards.

30731 =Gregory III.= He defies Leo in the matter of image-worship.

31739 War with the Lombards. Appeal of Gregory to the Franks for help against them.

32741 =Zacharias.= He is the first pope to be elected without obtaining the customary consent of the exarch. The papacy is now free of the empire. It has become practically a political dukedom.

33742 Zacharias visits Liutprand and obtains treaty of peace. Many possessions of the church restored by the Lombards.

34749 The Lombards renew attacks on the pope.

35751 Zacharias sanctions the transfer of the French crown to the Carlovingian line.

36752 =Stephen II= dies before his consecration. Usually not reckoned in list of popes. =Stephen II= or =III=.

37755 Pepin of France forces Aistulf, the Lombard king, to relinquish all territory taken from the exarch and the pope. Ravenna, Pentapolis, and other territory turned over to the pope. “The Donation of Pepin.” The foundations of the papal states are laid. Pepin bestows title of Patrician of Rome on the king of the Franks.

38757 =Paul I.= The Lombards do not encroach upon the papacy.

39767 On death of Paul, Toto, duke of Nepi, compels a bishop to ordain one of his brothers, _Constantine_, a layman. He discharges all the offices of pontiff for a year, when

40768 Desiderius, the Lombard king, sends a band to rescue Rome. Constantine is seized. Election of =Stephen III= or =IV=. All of Constantine’s acts are declared null and void. Cruel treatment of Constantine.

41772 =Adrian I.= Troubles with the Lombards are renewed. Adrian appeals to Charlemagne.

42774 Charlemagne captures Desiderius in Pavia, and assumes title of king of the Lombards. End of the Lombard kingdom. Charlemagne gives a large amount of territory to the pope. “Donation of Charlemagne.” Adrian takes possession of the exarchate, with all power and privileges of a temporal prince.

43780 The pope summons Charlemagne to protect him against a coalition of his Byzantine enemies. Peace is purchased.

44786 Charlemagne reduces Arichis of Benevento to subjection. The pope’s dominions extend to Calabria.

45795 =Leo III.= He recognises the supremacy of Charlemagne.

46799 Assault, attempted mutilation, and imprisonment of Leo by an armed band headed by his nephews. Leo escapes to Charlemagne, but returns to Rome.

47800 Charlemagne goes to Rome to inquire into charges against Leo. Leo crowns him emperor. Foundation of the empire of Charlemagne. The pope and emperor begin the upbuilding of the fabric of the Middle Ages. The pope is subordinate to the emperor.

48816 =Stephen IV.= He is unpopular, and makes the Romans swear fealty to the emperor. Is compelled to take refuge with Louis le Débonnaire. Returns to Rome, and dies.

49817 =Paschal I.= Assumes pontificate without imperial sanction. The Romans, admonished by the emperor, agree not to allow this again.

50824 =Eugenius II.=

51827 =Valentinus= dies in five weeks. =Gregory IV.= He mediates between Louis le Débonnaire and his sons. His pontificate is uneventful, but materially advances pretensions of the hierarchy.

52844 =Sergius II= consecrated without consent of the emperor Lothair. Lothair sends his son, Louis, with an army to Rome, but his meeting with the pope is amicable. Louis II made king of Lombardy.

53847 =Leo IV.= The Saracens invade Italy as far as the gates of Rome. Driven off by Louis. Leo fortifies a portion of Rome, henceforth known as the Leonine city, including the Vatican and church of St. Peter.

54850 The “False Decretals” come to light.

55855 =Benedict III.= His election contested by _Anastasius_, who, at head of armed faction, seizes the Lateran. The imperial legates decide in favour of Benedict, and Anastasius is expelled. Beginning of the strife between Photius and Ignatius for the see of Constantinople, which ends in the permanent schism between the eastern and western churches.

56858 =Nicholas I.= Under him the papacy makes a signal advance in power. He interferes in the quarrel over the patriarchate of Constantinople, espousing the cause of Ignatius, and pronouncing sentence of deposition upon Photius. He adopts and declares authentic the “False Decretals,” thus establishing the principle of the sole legislative power of the pope.

57861-864 Humiliation of the archbishops of Cologne, Trèves, and Ravenna. The act of archbishop Hincmar of Rheims in deposing Rothrad, bishop of Soissons, is reversed by Nicholas, on authority of the “False Decretals.”

58863 Nicholas forbids Lothair II to divorce his wife.

59FROM THE DEATH OF NICHOLAS I TO THE BEGINNING OF THE ERA OF PRACTICAL