by Deb McCoy | Feb 12, 2022 | Popes
Pope Stephen IX was the 154th pope He was head of the Roman Church for a short period, 2 August 1057 – 29 March 1058. Born Frederick of Lorraine, he was a younger member of the Ardennes-Verdun dynasty. This was a politically active family in the mid-11th century. He...
by Deb McCoy | Feb 3, 2022 | Popes
Pope Benedict XVI was the first German pope in 950 years. Pope Victor II was the last German pope before then. His death, in 1057, marked the end of a close working relationship between the Holy Roman Empire and the Catholic. Born Gebhard of Dolinstein-Hirshberg,...
by Deb McCoy | Jan 6, 2022 | Popes
Suidger von Morsleben was born in Hornburg, Saxony (Germany) around 967. His parents were Count Konrad of Hornburg and his wife, Amilrad. Young Suidger went to Halberstadt to study and became a canon. In 1032, he became the chaplain for Archbishop Hermann of...
by Deb McCoy | Nov 16, 2021 | Popes
There was once a time when distant cousins vied for the papacy. This was no small family squabble. This included major politics and murder. The two families were the Crescenti and the Tusculum counts. Giovanni de Crescenti-Ottaviani was born in about 1000, while his...
by Deb McCoy | Sep 29, 2021 | Popes
It was “all in the family” for the Tusculum counts. Brothers, Popes Benedict VIII and John XIX, ruled twenty years between them before dying. There was one brother left and he was filthy rich and very powerful. Wanting to keep the papacy in the family, he...
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