- In sources prior to the 1960s, this pope is called Stephen VIII and Pope Stephen VI is called Stephen VII; see Pope-elect Stephen for a detailed explanation.
Pope Stephen VII (Latin: Stephanus VII; died 15 March 931)[1] was the bishop of Rome and nominal ruler of the Papal States from February 929 to his death in 931. A candidate of the infamous Marozia, his pontificate occurred during the period known as the Saeculum obscurum.
Election[]
Stephen was a Roman[2] by birth, the son of Germanic (Goth) Theodemundus/Theudemund .[3] He was the cardinal-priest of St Anastasia in Rome. He was probably handpicked by Marozia, the true ruler of Rome during the Saeculum obscurum, to become pope as a stop-gap measure until her own son John was ready to assume the role.[3]
Pontificate[]
Very little is known about Stephen's pontificate. During his two years as pope, Stephen confirmed the privileges of a few religious houses in France and Italy.[3] As a reward for helping free Stephen from the oppression of Hugh of Arles, Stephen granted Cante di Gabrielli the position of papal governor of Gubbio, and control over a number of key fortresses.[4] Stephen was also noted for the severity with which he treated clergy who strayed in their morals.[5] He was also, apparently, according to a hostile Greek source from the twelfth century, the first pope who went around clean shaved whilst pope.[6]
Stephen died around 15 March 931, and was succeeded by Marozia's son John XI.
References[]
- ↑ Archibald Bower, The History of the Popes: from the foundation of the See of Rome to A.D. 1758 (1845), pg. 311
- ↑ Platina, Bartolomeo (1479), The Lives of the Popes From The Time Of Our Saviour Jesus Christ to the Accession of Gregory VII, I, London: Griffith Farran & Co., pp. 247–248, https://archive.org/details/thelivesofthepop01platuoft, retrieved 2013-04-25
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Mann, pg. 189
- ↑ Collegio araldico, Rivista, Volume 5 (1907), pg. 49
- ↑ DeCormenin, Louis Marie; Gihon, James L., A Complete History of the Popes of Rome, from Saint Peter, the First Bishop to Pius the Ninth (1857), pg. 287
- ↑ Mann, pg. 190
- Mann, Horace K., The Lives of the Popes in the Early Middle Ages, Vol. IV: The Popes in the Days of Feudal Anarchy, 891-999 (1910)
- "Pope Stephen (VII) VIII". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1913. http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia_(1913)/Pope_Stephen_(VII)_VIII.
This page uses content from the English Wikipedia. The original article was at Pope Stephen VII. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. |