Pope Gregory VI - The Pope Who Bought the Papacy

Pope Gregory VI - The Pope Who Bought the Papacy Pope Gregory VI was also known as: Giovanni Graziano (his birth name); also John of Gratian (the Anglicized version.) Pope Gregory VI was known for: Buying the papacy. Giovanni paid his predecessor, Pope Benedict IX, what is sometimes considered a pension; when Benedict left, Giovanni was recognized as Pope Gregory VI by the cardinals. Gregory is also known for being one of the few popes in history to resign. Occupations: Pope Places of Residence and Influence: Italy Important Dates: Begins papacy: May, 1045Resigned: Dec. 20, 1046Died: At an unknown date in 1047 or 1048 About Pope Gregory VI: When Giovanni Graziano paid his godson a pension to convince him to resign, most scholars agree he did so out of an honest desire to rid the papacy of the dissolute Pope Benedict IX. Unfortunately, as Pope Gregory VI, he achieved little in Rome before Benedict and the antipope Sylvester III returned. The chaos that resulted as each man represented himself as the true pope was too much, and King Henry III of Germany rode south to settle the matter. At a council at Sutri, Italy, Benedict and Sylvester were deposed, and Gregory was convinced to resign the office because his payment to Benedict could be viewed as simony. He left Italy for Germany, where he died not long after. For more about the life and pontificate of Gregory VI, see his Concise Biography. Pope Gregory VI Resources: Concise Biography of Gregory VIPopes Who Resigned Pope Gregory VI on the Web Catholic Encyclopedia: Pope Gregory VIConcise look at Gregory by Horace Mann. Pope Gregory VI in Print The links below will take you to a site where you can compare prices at booksellers across the web. More in-depth info about the book may be found by clicking on to the books page at one of the online merchants. by Richard P. McBrien by P. G. Maxwell-Stuart The PapacyChronological List of PopesMedieval ItalyWhos Who Directories: Chronological Index Geographical Index Index by Profession, Achievement, or Role in Society