- Pope Eugene III
Infobox Pope
English name=Eugene III
birth_name=Bernardo dei Paganelli di Montemagno
term_start=February 15 ,1145
term_end=July 8 ,1153
predecessor=Lucius II
successor=Anastasius IV
birth_date=???
birthplace=Pisa ,Italy
dead=dead|death_date=death date|1153|7|8|mf=y
deathplace=Tivoli,Italy
other=Eugene infobox popestyles
papal name=Pope Eugene III
dipstyle=His Holiness
offstyle=Your Holiness
relstyle=Holy Father
deathstyle=Blessed |Pope Eugene III (died
July 8 ,1153 ), born Bernardo dei Paganelli di Montemagno, wasPope from 1145 to 1153.Biography
A native of
Pisa , Paganelli was elected Pope in February 1145 and took the name Eugene III. When called to occupy this supreme position, he was only abbot of a Cistercian monastery just outsideRome , and he owed his elevation partly to the fact that none were eager to accept an office the duties of which were at the time so difficult and dangerous, but chiefly to his being the friend and pupil ofBernard of Clairvaux , the most influential ecclesiastic of the Western Church, and a strong assertor of the Pope's temporal authority. The choice had not, however, the approval of Bernard, who remonstrated against the election on account of the "innocence and simplicity" of Eugene III; but after the choice was made he took advantage of the qualities in Eugene III which he objected to, so as to virtually rule in his name.During nearly the whole of his pontificate Eugene III was unable to reside in
Rome . Hardly had he left the city to be consecrated in the monastery of Farfa (about 40 km north of Rome), when the citizens, under the influence ofArnold of Brescia – the great opponent of the Pope's temporal power — established the old Roman constitution, theCommune of Rome and electedGiordano Pierleoni to be "patrician ". Eugene III appealed for help toTivoli, Italy , to other cities at feud with Rome, and toRoger II of Sicily (who sent his generalRobert of Selby ) and with their aid was successful in making such conditions with the Roman citizens as enabled him for a time to hold the semblance of authority in his capital; but as he would not agree to a treacherous compact against Tivoli, he was compelled to leave the city in March 1146. He stayed for some time atViterbo , and then atSiena , but went ultimately to France.On hearing of the fall of Edessa to the Turks, he had, in December 1145, addressed the bull "
Quantum praedecessores " toLouis VII of France (1137–80), calling on him to take part in anothercrusade ; and at a great diet held atSpeyer in 1146 the EmperorConrad III (1138–52) also, and many of his nobles, were, by the eloquence of Bernard, incited to dedicate themselves to the Crusade.He held synods in northern
Europe : atParis ,Rheims , andTrier in 1147 and 1149 which were devoted to the reform of clerical life; he also considered and approved the works ofHildegard of Bingen . In 1149, Eugene III returned toItaly , and took up his residence at Viterbo. He fled to the Prince Ptolemy's fortress inTusculum on8 April and remained there, where he met the returningCrusade r kingLouis VII of France and his wifeEleanor of Aquitaine , until7 November . In 1150, through the aid of the King ofSicily , he was again able to enterRome , but the jealously of the republicans soon compelled him to retire.The Emperor
Frederick I Barbarossa (1152–90) had promised to aid him against his revolted subjects, but the death of Eugene III at Tivoli, on July 8, 1153, prevented the fulfillment of the engagement. Though the citizens of Rome were jealous of the efforts of Eugene III to assert his temporal authority, they were always ready to recognize him as their spiritual lord, and they besides deeply reverenced his personal character. Accordingly he was buried at the Vatican with every mark of respect, and his tomb soon acquired an extraordinary fame for miraculous cures."Original text from the 9th edition (1879) of an unnamed encyclopedia. Original referred to him as Eugene - modified to match spelling on Popes list. Please update article as needed."
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