The POPE Encyclopedia
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PASCHAL II
Pope from 1099 to 1118 whose pontificate was dominated by his struggle with Emperor Henry V over lay investiture. Rainerius was born in Bieda di Galeata, near Ravenna in 1050, entering one of the monastic orders at a young age. Sent to Rome around the age of twenty, he later attracted the favorable attention of Pope St. Gregory VII and in 1080 was appointed a cardinal. Under Urban II, he served as papal legate to Spain and, on August 13, 1099, succeeded Urban as pope. Taking the name Paschal, he immediately pledged himself to Urban's two main projects of continuing the reform of the Church and promoting the ongoing crusade, which had just captured Jerusalem from the Muslims. He unfortunately found most of his reign taken up by the bitter controversy over investiture, which had troubled Urban as well. Paschal first had to contend with Henry IV, whom he excommunicated at the Council of Rome in 1102. He then assisted Henry's son, Henry V, in overthrowing his father, but Paschal was soon disappointed when the new ruler proved just as determined and demanding as his father in the matter of investiture. Negotiations proved fruitless and the young ruler marched on Italy. Paschal sent representatives to Sutri in 1111, where an agreement was finally reached: Henry would cease granting Church offices and, in return, Paschal would surrender all feudal rights in the Holy Roman Empire, including the lucrative monies brought in from these temporal possessions. Paschal would also crown Henry emperor. Far more destructive than Henry's troops were his legal experts for they reasoned, correctly so, that when the agreement was read aloud at the coronation on February 2, 111, it would create a firestorm of controversy, espeeially among the disenfranchised German bishops. Using the commotion at the gathering, Henry seized Paschal and sixteen of his cardinals, withdrew in bloody fashion, and went to work at snapping the pope's resolve. This he did through threat of torture and death. Paschal gave to Henry the right of investiture and crowned him at St. Peter's on April 13, 1111. Christendom was appalled at Paschal for giving in, and Henry for committing such an outrage upon the pope. The next year, the agreement was rescinded by the Lateran Council and the shame-faced pontiff, and Paschal finally excommunicated Henry in 1118. Paschal's last years were further troubled by the unrest in Rome. He left the city as an exile from his own flock, returning in early 1118 and taking up residence behind the stout walls of Castel Sant'Angelo. There he died on January 21, 824, leaving the papacy in terrible condition. Succesor: Gelasius II.
THE POPE ENCYCLOPEDIA - Matthew Bunson Published by Crown Trade Paperbacks 201 East 50th Street, New York New York 10022, USA ISBN 0-517-88256-6
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