LUCIUS II, POPE

Pontifcate: March 12, 1144 to Feb. 15, 1145; b. Gerard Caccianemici, Bologna, date unknown. Having been a canon of St. John Lateran, he was named cardinal priest by Honorius II in 1124. As legate to Germany (1125–26) he was present at lothair iii's election and suggested the nomination of (St.) norbert as bishop of Magdeburg. innocent ii, whom he vigorously supported and whom he also served as legate to Germany, appointed him chancellor. No details of his election are known. Lucius acknowledged the homage, but not the royal title, of Alfonso Henriquez of Portugal. An armistice of seven years temporarily stabilized papal relations with Roger II of Sicily; Roger retained Capua, but promised to refrain from attacking Benevento or other papal lands. Meanwhile, in Rome the senate reconstituted itself under the leadership of Jordan pierleoni, brother of the former antipope, Anacletus. Since the new Emperor, conrad iii, was unable to respond to his pleas for assistance, Lucius personally took charge of an assault on the capital. The pope died during this operation, presumably as a consequence of a wound from a stone. Lucius founded monasteries in Germany and Italy and was especially favorable to the premonstratensians. He held a synod in Rome in May 1144.

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[m. w. baldwin]