Pope Anastasius IV (c. 1073[1] – 3 December 1154), bornCorrado Demetri della Suburra, was head of theCatholic Church and ruler of thePapal States from 8 July 1153[2] to his death in 1154. He is the most recent pope to take the name "Anastasius" upon his election.
He was aRoman, son of Benedictus de Suburra, probably of the family of Demetri,[3] and became a secular clerk.[4] He was created cardinal-priest of S. Pudenziana by Pope Paschal II no later than in 1114.[5] In 1127 or 1128, Pope Honorius II[6] promoted him to the suburbicarianSee of Sabina.[7] He was probably given this position for siding with Honorius II during a dispute over the appointment of a newabbot of Farfa.[8] He had taken part in the doublepapal election of 1130, had been one of the most determined opponents ofAntipope Anacletus II and, whenPope Innocent II fled toFrance, had been left behind as his vicar inItaly. At the time of hiselection to the papacy in July 1153, he wasDean of the College of Cardinals and probably the oldest member of that body.[9]
Image from a 19th-century religious card, showing Anastasius IV confirming theKnights Hospitaller in possession of their worldly property.
During his short pontificate, he played the part of a peacemaker; he came to terms with the EmperorFrederick Barbarossa in the vexing question of the appointment to theSee of Magdeburg and closed the long quarrel, which had raged through four pontificates, about the appointment of William Fitzherbert (commonly known asSaint William of York) to the see ofYork by sending him thepallium in spite of the continued opposition of the powerfulCistercian order. Anastasius IV also devoted much time and expenses on theLateran Basilica and Palace back at Rome.[8]
Anastasius IV died on 3 December 1154 and was succeeded by Cardinal Nicholas Breakspear asPope Adrian IV.[10] Anastasius IV was laid to rest within theHelena sarcophagus which was brought out and reused as his tomb.[8]
^Tillmann, H. (1972). "Ricerche sull'origine dei membri del collegio cardinalizio nel XII secolo".RSC.26: 313–353 [p. 328].
^According to older historiography (incl. Klewitz, p. 128 and 220) he was abbot of the Augustinian monastery of St.-Ruf at Avignon, but this view has been recently abandoned (see I.S.Robinson, p. 73)
^H.W.Klewitz, p. 128 no. 31; Brixius, p. 36 no. 26. His first subscription of the papal bulls took place on 25 February 1114 (Jaffé, p. 478)
^Anastasius IV is sometimes referred to as a nephew of Honorius II, but this is not proven and is very unlikely; Anastasius IV came from Roman aristocracy, while Honorius II was a Bolognese. Brixius, p. 78 rejects the statement about relationship between Anastasius and Honorius as without foundation and adds that it appears for the first time in the 16th century.Hans Walter Klewitz andHelene Tillmann, who have made an extensive study about the origins of the cardinals of the beginning of the 12th century, either deny or do not mention this relationship.
^First subscription as cardinal-bishop on 7 May 1128 (Jaffé, p. 549)
^abcMatthews, Rupert (2013).The Popes: Every Question Answered. New York: Metro Books. p. 158.ISBN978-1-4351-4571-9.
Klewitz, Hans Walter (1957).Reformpapsttum und Kardinalskolleg. Darmstadt. pp. 128 no. 31 and p. 220.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Brixius, Johannes M. (1912).Die Mitglieder des Kardinalkollegiums von 1130–1181. Berlin.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Robinson, Ian Stuart (1990).The Papacy, 1073–1198: Continuity and Innovation. New York: Cambridge University Press.ISBN978-0521264983.
