Crivelli was born inCuggiono, Italy as the son of Guala Crivelli and had four brothers: Pietro, Domenico, Pastore and Guala. It is often said that the futurePope Celestine IV was the son of Urban's sister, but this claim is without foundation.[2] He studied inBologna.
In 1173, Crivelli was made acardinal byPope Alexander III.[3] His original title is unknown, but he opted to be the Cardinal-Priest of San Lorenzo in Lucina in 1182. Lucius appointed himArchbishop of Milan in 1185. Lucius III died on 25 November 1185; Cardinal Crivelli was elected that same day.[4] The haste was probably due to fear of imperial interference.[5]
Urban III vigorously took up his predecessor's quarrels withHoly Roman EmperorFrederick I Barbarossa, including the standing dispute about the disposal of the territories of the countessMatilda of Tuscany. This was embittered by personal enmity, for at the sack of Milan in 1162 the emperor had caused several of the pope's relatives to be proscribed or mutilated. Even after hiselevation to the papacy, Urban III continued to hold the archbishopric of Milan, and in this capacity refused to crown as King of Italy Frederick I's sonHenry, who had marriedConstance, the heiress of thekingdom of Sicily. By this marriage/bond the papacy lost that Norman support on which it had so long relied in its contests with the emperor.[5]
Urban exerted himself to bring about peace between England and France, and on 23 June 1187, his legates by threats ofexcommunication prevented apitched battle between the armies of the rival kings nearChâteauroux, and brought about a two years' truce.[5]
While Henry in the south cooperated with the rebelSenate of Rome, his father Frederick blocked the passes of the Alps and cut off all communication between the Pope, then living inVerona, and his German adherents. Urban III now resolved onexcommunicating Frederick I, but the Veronese protested against such a proceeding being resorted to within their walls. He accordingly withdrew toFerrara, but died before he could give effect to his intentions. He was succeeded byGregory VIII. According to the chroniclersErnoul andBenedict of Peterborough, Urban III died of shock and grief afterJoscius, Archbishop of Tyre brought him news of the Christian defeat at theBattle of Hattin. It is also commonly stated that Urban's death was caused by the news of thefall of Jerusalem, butWilliam of Newburgh assures us that the report of the disaster of Hattin (3-4 July) did not even reach theHoly See till after the election of Gregory VIII, so it is hardly probable that Urban III ever heard of the surrender of the Holy City, which took place on 2 October.[5]
^Coulombe, Charles A. (2003).Vicars of Christ: A History of the Popes. Citadel Press. p. 249.ISBN0-8065-2370-0.
^abcd One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Webster, Douglas Raymund (1912). "Pope Urban III". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
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