Lentorama 2010: Two Millennia of Pointy Hats

Day 38: Gregory XVI (1831-46)

Gregrory, a Benedictine monk, gained early notice for his philosophical and theological works, leading to a variety of jobs ranging from being vicar-general of his order to brokering a peace deal between Armenia and the Ottomans to amending an agreement with the Dutch to protect Catholic Walloons. His election to the papacy was a surprise, coming after the leading candidate was vetoed by the king of Spain and a deadlock between the next two leading candidates. Gregory would be the last pope elected who was not a bishop at the time of election.

During his long reign, Gregory proved to be against any hint of modernization or liberalism, backing royalists and republican encroachments on the Papal States. He even went to far as to oppose railroads and gas lighting, seeing them as ways the middle class could expand business, make more money, and thus gain more power that would likely support further modernism. Not surprisingly, the combination of political unrest and reactionary thought did not sit well with the locals, and insurrection in and around the Papal States was a constant threat.

Lentorama 2010: Two Millennia of Pointy Hats

Day 37: Pius VI (1775-99)

Pius started out as an auditor and secretary in the Vatican heirarchy, and would become a priest in his early 40s. As Vatican treasurer he was one of the few men to then to actually administer finances carefully. This led to a plan where those who wanted looser purse strings to convince Clement XIV to make Pius a cardinal-priest in one of Rome's churches.

This worked, at least until Clement XIV died. The conclave that followed took over four months to elect a successor, as there was no clear favorite given the divisions within the College of Cardinals. There were two large factions, each defined by their support or opposition to the suppression of the Jesuits. Both factions had smaller sub-factions based on the strength of their belief and nationality. There were also no favored candidates, which allowed early voting to shift among a number of cardinals.

As the months passed, it became clearer that no candidate squarely in either bloc would get elected. A pair of French cardinals struck upon Pius as the most likely candidate to be approved by enough cardinals to get the votes needed, and after much negotiation - including a pledge by Pius to ratify the suppression of the Jesuits - Pius was elected.

Pius started out by initiating a number of reforms, both financial and agricultural, aimed at improving the standing of both the Vatican and Rome (ironic given that he would develop a reputation for spending lavishly on family and on civic improvements that did little to help average Romans). He would also become involved in a crisis involving the Germanic churches and their desire for more independence from Rome. He would visit Vienna in the hopes of reversing that sentiment, but failed. On the issue that allowed his election, the suppression of the Jesuits, Pius took a moderate road, upholding the suppression but not furthering it, leading both sides to be disappointed.

But it was events in France that had the most lasting impact on Pius. The French Revolution saw the confiscation of church property and a general backlash against the church and clerics generally. French Republican troops under Napoleon would invade Italy in 1796, and after short-lived peace the following year the French would enter Rome unopposed in 1798. Pius refused to renounce his authority over the Papal States, and was arrested.

His captivity would see him taken on a six month trek through Italy and France, and he died just six weeks after being settled in Valence. He would not be buried until 1800, as Napoleon sought to gain political advantage by having Pius buried in Rome. That wouldn't happen until 1802, and Pius would finally get to join the popes buried in St. Peter's when his remains were moved there in 1949.

Lentorama 2010: Two Millennia of Pointy Hats

Day 36: Benedict XIII (1724-30)

Benedict was the third and last member of the Orsini family to become pope, although he fought fairly hard to avoid the office, only accepting it after seeing how damaging it would be if the conclave were reopened.

Benedict, like so many popes before him, wanted to end the lavish lifestyles that many clerics enjoyed, and like most (if not all) of those popes, he was not particularly successful. Part of the problem is that Benedict was not much of an administrator, and left many of those duties to Cardinal Niccolo Coscia. Coscia, for his part, would have fit in nicely with many of today's financial leaders, as he was more than happy to cook the books to his own advantage (and, similar to today, to a near collapse of organizational finances).

Still, Benedict's reign did have some long-lasting consequences. For instance, he was the pope that lifted Urban VIII's ban on smoking. More importantly (to the church at any rate), he ordained a large number of bishops, who in turn ordained a large number of local bishops, to the point where over 90 percent of today's bishops can trace the line of their office to those bishops ordained by Benedict.

Benedict also had one long-lasting impact on Rome, as it was during his term of office that the Spanish Steps were completed. So if you're a bishop who likes to stop and have a smoke near one of Rome's greatest tourist spots, you have Benedict to thank.

Lentorama 2010: Two Millennia of Pointy Hats

Day 35: Clement X (1670-6)

Prior to becoming pope, Clement had a long career with varied responsibilities, from serving as nuncio to Rome to serving as the Vatican's exchequer to overseeing the works that protected Ravenna from flooding by the Po River. He was made a cardinal late in life by his predecessor, who predicted that Clement would be the next pope.

And that came to pass, though perhaps not in the way expected. The conclave that elected Clement was deadlocked between three candidates, none of whom could get enough votes away from the other two to win. The conclave dragged on for months, and finally the three camps agreed to elect an older cardinal, who would reign for a short period and allow each of the three to prepare for the conclave after that pope's death.

Urban was nearly 80 when elected, and he tried to pass on it, claiming it was too much of a job for someone of his age, but he would eventually give in. Once pope, he made an arrangement that would help both him as pope and help to keep his family name alive (as all but one of the men in his family had entered the church). He arranged a marriage between a man in a family he was close to and the sole heiress to his family's fortune and name. Once done, he made an uncle of the man a cardinal, and assigned to him the duties that Urban could not carry out due to his age, which would expand over the six years of Urban's reign.

It's hard to pin down the one or two most important events during Urban's term in office, as nothing really stands out. He did establish an independent see in Canada to further the success of missionaries there, and he set off a yearlong dispute with various cardinals and ambassadors when he tried to decree a new tax on goods entering Rome, but did not exclude goods being sent to Rome for cardinals or ambassadors.

Urban would die of complications from gout at age 86. And, perhaps fittingly, none of the three cardinals who were deadlocked in the conclave that elected Urban would be chosen to succeed him (or succeed any pope, for that matter).

Lentorama 2010: Two Millennia of Pointy Hats

Day 34: Urban VIII (1623-44)

While you can't really sum up 20 years of rule in two items, there are two things that stand out about Urban's two decades in office:

1. He was the last pope to expand the territories of the Papal States by force. In the course of doing this, he created a Vatican arsenal, and looted the Pantheon of bronze for use in making cannons (as well as for the famed canopy in St. Peter's).

2. He was the pope that summoned Galileo to Rome to recant his belief in heliocentrism. The irony here is that Urban and Galileo had been friendly.

Of course, there were a number of other things that went on during Urban's term of office. He protected Jesuit missions in the new world while opening up Asian mission work to orders other than the Jesuits. He practiced nepotism on a grand scale, enriching his family quite a bit. He patronized the arts significantly. And he made smoking tobacco punishable by excommunication, which just seems like something you'd do because you're the pope and can get away with it.

One other thing Urban did a great job of during his reign was make enemies. This was mostly due to the burgeoning Vatican debt, which more than doubled during his term of office. This debt crippled the papacy, as interest payments took up roughly 80 percent of the Vatican's income. This unpopularity survived his death, most notably in the conclave, where a leading candidate who was allied with Urban's family was passed over for the man who would become Innocent X.

Lentorama 2010: Two Millennia of Pointy Hats

Day 33: Marcellus II (1555)

Marcellus was the last pope to use his birth name as his papal name; perhaps his 22 day reign is seen as a jinx on the practice. He was almost elected in the conclave of 1550, but after leaving the conclave due to illness and having the Germans opposed to him, he was passed over.

His election five years later during Lent resulted in a low-key investiture, though the stresses of the conclave and of the papal duties during Holy Week quickly took their toll on Marcellus. He tried to work through them, but was not able to overcome the initial rigors that came with being elected pope, cutting short what some felt would be a promising pontificate given Marcellus' reputation for integrity.

Lentorama 2010: Two Millennia of Pointy Hats

Day 32: Adrian VI (1522-3)

Adrian is the only Dutch pope, and was the last non-Italian pope until John Paul II. Early in his career he was tutor to future Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, who would be influential in landing Adrian a variety of posts, mainly in Spain.

Adrian was elected pope as a compromise candidate for the cardinals who were divided pro- and anti-Medici. Some feared that Adrian would favor Charles given their relationship, while others were afraid that Adrian would move the papal court to Spain, but Adrian set out to rule impartially and with a reforming bent.

Not that he had much success, given his ignorance of how the papacy worked and of Rome in general. He never got the support he needed to get a handle on indulgences and other dispensations that earned the papacy money, and his willingness to admit that the Curia had a role to play in the rise of Martin Luther and the Reformation was not something other cardinals wanted to admit. His somewhat surprising death barely a year into his papcy likely spared Adrian from a frustrating tenure.

Lentorama 2010: Two Millennia of Pointy Hats

Day 31: Alexander VI: 1492-1503)

If you've ever heard someone make a disparaging reference to the Borgia popes, you can thank Alexander. He started out in the church with a rapid rise through the ranks, thanks to his uncle, Calixtus III. He would serve in a variety of curial appointments under five popes, gaining great wealth. This came in handy during the conclave of 1492, as there was heavy use of bribery by the leading candidates, which included Borgia and members of the Sforza and della Rovere families.

While Alexander started off by improving administration, he would soon drag the papacy to new depths. He fathered four children, and made life in the papal court increasingly sumptuous while the people of Rome grew poorer. He would also add a dozen new cardinals, many of whom were members of his family or related to friends or, in one case, a mistress.

Alexander's political double dealing would lead to a French invasion of Italy, culminating in the French entering Rome in 1494. The various Italian states, with help from Spain and the Holy Roman Empire, would fight to drive them out, but in the process weakened his own position. He would turn to confiscating property from nobles based on trumped up charges, but would face opposition from several fronts - powerful Roman families, the reformer Savonarola, and even Alexander's own son, Cesare. He would engage in further military adventures in Italy, aligning again with France, and at one point he left his daughter Lucrezia as regent over the Holy See while he oversaw the fighting.

As time moved on, Alexander's machinations would help to increase Borgia power, as he changed sides as best fit his needs and used confiscations to fund his plans. This continued right up to his death, an incredibly gruesome affair that started with a fever and then continued to skin discoloration and bleeding profusely from places where blood should never profuse. Alexander's body, already badly damaged from his illness, decomposed quickly and bloated significantly. Johann Burchard, the papal master of ceremonies, recounted that he had to jump on Alexander's body to fit it into its coffin. The body was then refused entry into St. Peter's, with the mass only occurring there after papal staff forced the issue. The mass was sparsely attended, and afterward the body was laid to rest in the Spanish national church in Rome rather than in St. Peter's.

Alexander's reign wasn't all bad - he was a patron of the arts and architecture, and he was much more tolerant of Jews than previous popes - but his plotting and personal failings have left his as the poster child for dissolute popes.

Lentorama 2010: Two Millennia of Pointy Hats

Day 30: Eugene IV (1431-47)

An Augustinian monk, he was made bishop of Siena by his uncle, Gregory XII. The Sienese objected to a "foreigner" as their bishop, so Eugene went and worked for his uncle, moving up the curial ladder to become a trusted assistant of Martin V, whom he succeeded as pope. It didn't hurt his chances that he vowed in writing to give the cardinals half of the revenue of the church and consult them on all important matters.

Eugene would spend a major portion of his term - roughly a decade - out of Rome due to an invasion of the Papal States in one of the many wars that plagued north and central Italy. When not dealing with actual fighting, Eugene fought with the Council of Basel, a reform-minded body that argued the precedence of councils over the pope. Eugene would form his own council at Ferrara that would excommunicate the members of the council at Basel. The council at Basel would in turn declare Eugene was no longer pope, and help get the antipope Felix V to power (such as it was, he was not widely recognized as pope). This would all sort itself out along the same timeline as the actual fighting, with Eugene finally returning to Rome as superior to the councils.

On a personal note, Eugene was fairly troubled by all the strife, wishing on at least on occasion that he'd never left the monastery. Given events, he's probably not the only one.

Lentorama 2010: Two Millennia of Pointy Hats

Day 29: Gregory XI (1370-8)

Gregory is best known for moving the papal court back to Rome, motivated by Catherine of Siena's and her arguments for moving it back. He would be rewarded for his return by dying the following year, after which the Western Schism occurred and we had popes in both Rome and Avignon. Gregory is also the last recognized French pope, which seems like a slap in the face even if it is somewhat understandable.

Lentorama 2010: Two Millennia of Pointy Hats

Day 28: Clement V (1305-14)

Clement's election came at a time of great rivalry between the Italian and French cardinals, and the selection of Clement (who was French but not a cardinal) suggested that he was a compromise choice who would be expected to maintain some level of neutrality during his reign.

Such expectations were not met, as Clement started off on a pro-French foot by forcing his coronation to take place in Lyon (where his brother was archbishop) rather than in Italy. Once pope, he then created nine new French cardinals. From here on out, Clement pretty much did whatever he could to benefit France.

This would ultimately lead Clement to move the papal court from Rome to Avignon, claiming Rome was too unsettled given the political situation there. While Avignon wasn't technically part of France, the move clearly put the papacy in the French sphere of influence.

The other major event of Clement's papacy was the suppression of the Knights Templar, whose growing power and wealth was a constant source of concern for secular rulers - like the king of France. While Clement was not able to get the Templars convicted of heresy by an ecclesiastical council, he still banned them and allowed the French king to appropriate much of their property and money.

Hard to understand why people don't like the French, isn't it?

Lentorama 2010: Two Millennia of Pointy Hats

Day 27: John XXI (1276-7)

John holds a couple of distinctions, as he is the only Portuguese pope and the only physician made pope. John spent much of his adult life as an academic and counselor to the king of Portugal, moving into a clerical role after becoming the physician of Pope Gregory X.

After being elected pope, one of John's first acts was to change the rules of election to loosen up the restriction that limited cardinals' movement during conclave and reduced the amount of food and wine given to them if things went too long. He had great plans for reuniting with the Eastern church and launching a crusade, but was frustrated by the ambitions of cardinal Giovanni Orsini (who would succeed him as pope).

He would die only 8 months into his papacy, as a wing he had added on to his palace for use in research and writing collapsed while he was inside, killing him, making him the only pope to die from an actual accident. That's probably one first he'd have been happy to pass on.

Lentorama 2010: Two Millennia of Pointy Hats

Day 26: Honorius III (1216-1227)

Facing violence within Italy, a potential invasion of Tatars, and a potential schism, the cardinals in Rome after the death of Innocent III appointed two of their number to choose the new pope. They came up with Honorius, who looked to be an easy choice as he was a Roman and had a reputation for kindness. It didn't hurt that he was also once tutor to soon-to-be Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II.

The main event of Honorius' papacy was the Fifth Crusade, which he planned to have start in 1217. A troubled start led Honorius to believe that the only man who could lead the crusade was Frederick, who was pledged to go but kept finding ways to not go. Frederick finally started to make serious preparations in 1227, but Honorius died before Frederick finally left.

Honorius was able to do something of lasting value by giving papal approval to the Dominican, Franciscan and Carmelite orders during his term of office. He was also in favor of greater training for clergy, and even refused to approve the appointment of a couple due to shortcomings in theology and general literacy, which seem like important areas for clergy to excel.

Lentorama 2010: Two Millennia of Pointy Hats

Day 25: Adrian IV (1154-59)

The only English pope, he worked his way up the Vatican ladder when, after being rejected admission to an English monastery, he became a canon in France and later gained the eye of Eugene III due to his interest in reform. Named the cardinal archbishop of Albano, the future Adrian would then go on to serve as a papal legate to Scandinavia.

He returned to Rome shortly before the death of Anastasius IV, and was elected to the office after Anastasius' death, shortly after which he placed the city of Rome under an interdict in order to quell the disruption of an anti-papacy faction of nobles.

During his tenure, Adrian attempted an alliance with the Byzantines, who had invaded Sicily and beaten back the Norman nobles in charge of the island. The hope was that this would lead to the end of the Great Schism that separated the churches of Rome and Byzantium. But internal squabbling among the Byzantines allowed the Normans to rally, and Adrian was reluctant to give up his temporal power in order to heal the rift, just as the Byzantines weren't about to let their church be ruled by someone so far away.

After this, Adrian incurred the wrath of Frederick Barbarossa, who was given a misinterpretation of a letter sent by Adrian. Barbarossa thought the pope was giving him land and thus confirming that he was superior to Barbarossa. The pope tried to correct and say he was merely referring to Barbarossa's coronation, but that didn't placate Barbarossa, and as their rift was widening Adrian died, supposedly by choking on a fly that was in his wine.

Adrian also set the tone for centuries of Irish antipathy towards the English when he supposedly issued a bull allowing the King of England to invade and take Rome so that the Celtic church could be brought under Roman rule and so the savages of the island could be civilized. Future decisions on England and Ireland would be based at least partially on this "donation," allowing Adrian to screw over the Irish centuries after he died. You can imagine o one will be raising a pint to Adrian tomorrow.

Lentorama 2010: Two Millennia of Pointy Hats

Day 24: Lucius II (1144-45)

During a run of popes who would have great influence over the way the church was run and its place among European powers, Lucius II stands out as not being particularly memorable. He appears to have been a weak ruler, as a dispute with a noble over the duties owed the Vatican by a vassal spread into the reformation of the Roman Senate (which he had dissolved) and further intrigue by the family of a former antipope.

Lucius was attempting to fight his enemies and gain some order when he was hit by a rock during a battle, suffering a wound that would eventually kill him, leaving history to remember him in a not so favorable light.

Lentorama 2010: Two Millennia of Pointy Hats

Day 23: Nicholas II (1059-61)

A short but important reign, as the election of Nicholas marked the end of the count of Tusculum's influence over the papacy. Nicholas was elected by a group of cardinals who opposed the count's choice, Antipope Benedict X, and Nicholas was able to take control of the See of Rome after allying with the Normans, who got land and titles in Italy in return for their support.

The election of Nicholas by cardinals was also significant as it led Nicholas to suggest this as a permanent reform. This would cause some conflict between later popes and the Holy Roman Emperor, but it would become the standard method of electing popes, continuing today.

Lentorama 2010: Two Millenia of Pointy Hats

Day 22: Benedict IX (1032-44; 1045-46)

Remember that list of the 10 worse popes I mentioned? We may have our chart-topper here.

Benedict was the son of the count of Tusculum and nephew to two other popes. He became pope (thanks to his father) by the time he was 20 (though some sources suggest he was in his pre-teens).

Benedict had few, if any, qualifications for being pope. His lifestyle certainly didn't suggest his suitability for the office, as noted by Pope Victor III when he wrote of Benedict, "his rapes, murders and other unspeakable acts. His life as a pope so vile, so foul, so execrable, that I shudder to think of it."

This didn't go unnoticed, and Benedict was forced out of Rome twice during the first decade of his rule, leading to the appointment of Silvester III as pope. Benedict would depose him, but would later decide to marry and thus sold off the papacy to a relative, who became Gregory VI. Benedict, regretting this decision, returned to Rome and retook the throne - even though Gregory was still recognized as the pope. Silvester also took this opportunity to remind people of his claim to the papacy, which he had maintained since being deposed.

At this point Emperor Henry III intervened, calling a council that declared Benedict and Silvester deposed and sought the resignation of Gregory, which he gave. The new pope, Clement II, died in 1047, leading Benedict - who never accepted his deposition - to take one more stab at being pope. He was driven out by German forces, failed to appear before the new pope on charges of simony, and was excommunicated. He would fade away at that point, having had three separate runs as pope, all of them marked by chaos and dissolution.

Lentorama 2010: Two Millennia of Pointy Hats

Day 21: Gregory V (996-999)

The first German pope, Gregory was presented as a candidate for the papacy by Otto III, his cousin. One of Gregory's first act as pope? Crowning Otto III Holy Roman Emperor. Very convenient.

Too convenient for some, as for much of his short reign Gregory had to contend with an antipope elected by the Roman nobility. Having a cousin as emperor worked out for Gregory, as Otto invaded Rome and captured the antipope, cutting off various part of his face before sending him to a monastery to live out his days. Which wound up being longer - by more than a decade - than Gregory got, as he died unexpectedly (and perhaps suspiciously) in his late 20s.

Lentorama 2010: Two Millennia of Pointy Hats

Day 20: Sergius III (904-911)

If you were to compile a list of the ten worst popes, Sergius III would easily make the cut, if not compete for the top spot.

Sergius' election kicks of a period of the papacy often referred to a the "rule of the harlots" or the "pornocracy" (the church uses the less misogynistic Saeculum obscurum, "the dark age"). The popes in this period (which spans most of the 200 years after Sergius' election) were beholden to the counts of Tusculum and in many cases was a member of the family. The influence of the family women is where the harlot/porn references come in.

Most of the records from Sergius' term in office were destroyed by opponents of the faction he supported, so most of the information about Sergius comes from his enemies, which probably explains some of the more scandalous accusations (such as his fathering a future pope with a mistress and his ordering the killings of Pope Leo V and Antipope Christopher). He did invalidate most of what Formosus did, including the ordination of several bishops, requiring them to be reordained. Confusion may have reigned more than Sergius during his time in office.

Lentorama 2010: Two Millennia of Pointy Hats

Day 19: Formosus (891-896)

Hard to skip a guy who was exhumed and tried posthumously - possibly twice.

The postmortem judgment(s?) came from an incident where an earlier pope, John VIII, charged Formosus with a variety of crimes after Formosus fled the papal court in 872. Refusing to return to Rome to face the charges, Formosus was excommunicated, only to be reinstated by the next pope who, had he not done this, could have saved everyone a lot of trouble.

The reign of Pope Formosus brought as much political intrigue as his life before, mostly involving the crowns of France and the Holy Roman Empire. Formosus died in 89, and the following year a new pope decided to exhume Formosus and put him on trial for the charges levied by John VIII in what came to be known as the Cadaver Synod.

The body was dressed in papal robes and seated, and after deliberations it was (not surprisingly) found that Formosus was not a valid pope. Pretty much everything he did was repealed, and the corpse was stripped of its robes, had the three fingers Formosus used to bless people removed, and thrown in the Tiber. A monk would later retrieve the body, which was later reburied at St. Peter's. It's believed that a later pope, Sergius III, put Formosus on trial again, found him guilty again, and beheaded the corpse for good measure. There are several people who argue this didn't happen, but it's easy to believe of Sergius, as we'll see later.

Lentorama 2010: Two Millenia of Pointy Hats

Day 18: Sergius II (844-847)

After the death of Gregory IV, Sergius was elected pope, which would have been great if another man, John, hadn't been selected by public acclimation. Supporters of Sergius managed to hold the throne for him, but had him consecrated without the approval of the Holy Roman Emperor (so much for getting rid of the Byzantine approval). Troops were sent to Rome, but Sergius avoided a sacking through negotiation and giving the crown of Louis to the leader of the troops, who was also the emperor's son.

Of course, it may have been better if Sergius stayed in exile. During his brief tenure simony became the favored method of paying for building projects, and at one point the Saracens invaded the city and sacked a number of churches. It's at this point that he died, proving again that timing is everything.

Lentorama 2010: Two Millennia of Pointy Hats

Day 16: Leo III (795-816)

While some, if not most popes chafed under having to be approved by the Byzantine emperor before taking office, it doesn't seem like a problem when the flow of power started going the other way in a tradition/requirement started by Leo.

It was Leo who, on Christmas day in the year 800 crowned Charlemange the emperor of Rome, formalizing the future arrangement where the leader of the Holy Roman Empire would be crowned by the pope in return for pledging to defend the church. This would be in place for a good 600 years, until the ceremony moved to Germany.

Leo almost didn't get to do this, as he was driven out of Rome for a time by a group loyal to the previous pope that wanted a more patrician candidate to take office. Leo took back the papacy with the help of Charlemange, setting the stage for what was to come.

Lentorama 2010: Two Millenia of Pointy Hats

Day 15: Sisinnius (708)

Sorry for the fascination with short-reigning popes, but it's hard not to be interested in a guy whose term of office (three weeks) is shorter than the amount of time the job was open before he took it (three months).

Not surprisingly, there's not a great deal to talk about here. Sisinnus was apparently so gout ridden that he had trouble feeding himself, never mind moving around. This seems like something the College of Cardinals would take into consideration.

In those three weeks he apparently manages to things worth noting: he consecrated a bishop for Corsica and started to make plans to reinforce the walls of Rome (one source suggests this was done due to various threats from the exarch of Ravenna (who is apparently quite the pain in the ass), the Lombards and the Saracens. Those threats alone might be enough to do you in, never mind the gout.

Lentorama 2010: Two Millenia of Pointy Hats

Day 14: John V (685-686)

Remember how I mentioned last time that there was a time when popes had to be approved by the Byzantine emperor before they could be consecrated? Well, that ended with John V, thanks to the decision by Constantine IV to end the practice. John V was the first of a string of 10 popes to come from the east, so it could just be that Constantine felt that there was enough Byzantine influence in the process without requiring confirmation on top of things.

Not surprisingly, relations between Rome and Byzantium improved during John's short reign. His death sparked a brief conflict over succession, as the clergy and the military had different ideas on who should be elected. Stalemate ensued, leading the election of Conon, who was neither group's first choice.

Lentorama 2010: Two Millennia of Pointy Hats

Day 13: Severinus (640)

Severinus was elected during a time when the popes had to be confirmed by the Byzantine emperor. While this wasn't usually a big deal, the emperor at the time, Heraclius, refused to confirm Severinus until he signed off on a document about the nature of Jesus that didn't square with Rome's idea. Severinus refused to sign, at which point the Byzantine exarch (more or less a governor) in Ravenna sent people to Rome to sack the Lateran Palace and force Severinus to sign.

Severinus, learning of this, managed to keep the hordes out of the palace for three days, but they eventually got in and started packing up its contents. Even so, Severinus still refused to sign the document. Papal legates in Byzantium finally convinced Heraclius to confirm Severinus as pope, thanks to a combination of the emperor's declining health and persistent badgering.

Not that Severinus had much time to enjoy the office, as he died within a year of finally taking over the See of Rome.

Lentorama 2010: Two Millennia of Pointy Hats

Day 12: Gregory I (590-604)

The first monk to become pope, Gregory earned quite a few titles - Doctor of the Church, Latin Father, saint - thanks to his skills as a diplomat, theologian, writer and caretaker for poor Romans, who were helped by his almsgiving. He's best known to the average person today for music, as the Gregorian chants, the earliest organization and recording of sacred music, was attributed to him.

Not that he had anything to do with it. The entire enterprise seems to take hold in the 9th century, with the attribution to Gregory a fabrication. If nothing else, it likely helped the system gain acceptance, though it doesn't really explain how it made a popular comeback in 1994. And I'm sure his estate didn't get any of the royalties, which is more the pity.

Lentorama 2010: Two Millennia of Pointy Hats

Day 11: Silverius (536-537)

Silverius is the first son of a pope to become pope, as his dad, Pope Hormisdas, took orders after Silverius was born. This would not become the model for future father-son duos.

As for his actual reign, the most notable thing is that he was deposed by the Byzantine general Belisarius, charging that Silverius was passing information to the Goths. True or not, Silverius was busted down to monk and left Rome, going to Constantinople to get the backing of the Byzantine emperor, Justinian I. That didn't work out so well, as when he was sent back to Rome Belisarius managed to have him exiled to an island off the Italian coast, where he would later die.

For all that, Silverius managed to become a saint, though apparently by public acclimation rather than the more formal way. I didn't know you could do that. I should start my campaign now.

Book Log 2010 #3: The Survivor's Club by Ben Sherwood

If you ever wondered what it would take to survive a catastrophe or how some people survive an illness that is typically terminal, this book looks to provide some answers. Looking at a mix of specific cases and research, Sherwood looks to pinpoint the abilities and traits that allow some people to thrive and survive where others do not.

While I think it's an interesting topic, I did find the book a little unfocused. It's clear there are certain things that help people survive - positive outlook, paying attention to one's surroundings, etc. - and I'd have preferred it if the book was more organized around these.

However, I do think the looser organization will help drive people to the website to get more information. There's also a test to get one's survivor profile, though you need a serial number from the book jacket to take it (not sure what happens when you take the test using a library copy; sorry to anyone who's tried to take it using the copy I read!).

Anyway, it's OK. More of an airport book than anything else.