Pope Lucius II (died 15 February 1145), bornGherardo Caccianemici dal Orso, was head of theCatholic Church and ruler of thePapal States from 9 March 1144 to his death in 1145. His pontificate was notable for the unrest inRome associated with theCommune of Rome and its attempts to wrest control of the city from thepapacy. He supportedEmpress Matilda's claim to theKingdom of England inthe Anarchy, and had a tense relationship with KingRoger II of Sicily.
In 1130 he was again appointed legate to Germany byPope Innocent II, where he was instrumental in convincing Lothair III to make two expeditions toItaly for the purpose of protecting Pope Innocent II against theAntipope Anacletus II.[2] He had a further period as legate to Germany in 1135–36.[3] He was one of the principal negotiators with Lothair III in attempting to force the monks ofMonte Cassino to submit themselves to the authority of thepapacy.[3] In addition, he was sent toSalerno to negotiate the end of theschism involving Anacletus II with KingRoger II of Sicily.[3] As a principal supporter of Pope Innocent II,[3] the pope rewarded him for his efforts by appointing him papalchancellor.[4] After thepapal election of 1144, Gherardo waselected as Lucius II and consecrated on 12 March 1144.[2] He probably took his name in honor ofPope Lucius I, who was commemorated a few days prior to Gherardo's consecration.[3]
Lucius was involved in the usual running of church business throughout medievalChristendom. InEngland, he granted a number of privileges to bishops,monasteries and churches, including exempting the monastery of St. Edmund from all subjection to the secular authorities.[6] He also dispatched a papal legate, Igmarus (or Hincmar), to England, charged to investigate the request ofBernard,Bishop of St David's, to elevate his see to the rank ofmetropolitan bishop, and to take thepallium to ArchbishopWilliam of York.[6] Regarding the political situation in England, he took the side of theEmpress Matilda over the rights to the English crown.[7]
Early in his reign, Lucius received a request from prominent members of the town ofLucca to become thesuzerain of the castle within the town in order to protect it from the war between Lucca andPisa. Lucius received it on 18 March 1144 and, for a payment of ten pounds of gold, agreed to defend it on his behalf. Lucius then returned the castle to them as afief.[8]
Meanwhile, inPortugal, KingAfonso I, eager to maintain the newly established independence of Portugal from theKingdom of León, offered to dohomage to Lucius, as he had done to Pope Innocent II, and to make the pope the feudal suzerain of his lands. He offered Lucius his territory and a yearly tribute of four ounces of gold in exchange for the defence and support of theApostolic See.[8] Although Lucius accepted Afonso's feudal homage on 1 May 1144, and excused him from appearing in person, he did not acknowledge Afonso asKing of Portugal, but instead asDux Portugallensis.[9] The royal title would eventually be conferred byPope Alexander III.[10]
Finally, the city ofCorneto, formally belonging to thePapal States, was restored to the papacy during Lucius’ pontificate by a formal deed on 20 November 1144.[10]
Although Lucius had been the friend of KingRoger II of Sicily andgodparent to one of his children,[4] the situation between the two deteriorated. The two parties met atCeprano in June 1144[11] to clarify the duties of Roger as avassal of theHoly See. Lucius demanded the return of the principality ofCapua, while Roger instead wanted additional territory that formed part of the Papal States in the south.[11] Lucius II, on the advice of his cardinals,[12] was unwilling to accept Roger's demands and rejected them. Infuriated, King Roger returned toSicily and asked his son DukeRoger III of Apulia to invadeCampania.[11] Duke Roger did as he was asked, and sent his generalRobert of Selby against Lucius, ravaging the country as far north asFerentino.[11] This forced the Romans to capitulate, and in September 1144, Lucius agreed to Roger's terms, negotiating a seven-year truce.[7] TheNormans in return withdrew back to their conquered territories[11] and promised not to attackBenevento or any other papal territory.[7]
This surrender on the part of Lucius II gave an opportunity for members of theRoman Senate to reassert their ancient independence and authority and to erect arevolutionary republic atRome which sought to deprive the pope of his temporal power. The principal groups involved in this movement were the merchants and artisans, while the urban nobility kept their neutrality.[7]
The Senate, which practically took all temporal power from the pope during the pontificate of Innocent II, had been managed with considerable skill and firmness by Lucius at the beginning of his pontificate, convincing many senators to either leave theCapitoline Hill or to lay down theirmagisterium.[13] Now, encouraged by Lucius II's defeat, the Senate, led byGiordano Pierleoni, brother of the formerAntipope Anacletus II, rebelled against Lucius II, driving out the papal prefects[7] and establishing theCommune of Rome.[13] They demanded the pope abandon all governmental duties, and that he would retain only ecclesiastical taxes and voluntary tributes.[7] The Senate took over powers to elect magistrates and strike its own coinage.[14] At first, Lucius asked for Roger II's aid, but Roger, still annoyed that Lucius had not fully recognised his kingship, withheld his assistance.[7] Lucius then turned for help toConrad,King of the Romans,[12] and on December 1144 wrote to him pleading for military assistance against the Senate and thePatrician Giordano Pierleoni.[13] Lucius was supported byBernard of Clairvaux, who also wrote to Conrad, asking for him to intervene.[15]
While waiting for Conrad's reply, Lucius decided to take matters into his own hands.[12] Turning to the Roman aristocracy, in particular theFrangipani family, he gave them the fortress of theCircus Maximus on 31 January 1145, allowing them complete control of the southern portion of thePalatine Hill.[15] TheRoman Forum had become a battleground, and the confusion prevented Lucius from travelling to theAventine Hill toordain theabbot ofSan Saba on 20 January 1145.[15]
Finally, Lucius marched against the Senatorial positions on the Capitol with a small army. He was driven back by Giordano,[15] and according toGodfrey of Viterbo, he was seriously injured during this battle (by a thrown stone).[15] He did not recover from his injuries and died on 15 February 1145[12] atSan Gregorio Magno al Celio, where he was under the protection of the neighbouring Frangipani fortress.[6]
