Benedict

Benedict is the name of fourteen popes. Of these only the following are historically important enough to deserve special mention: BENEDICT VIII., son of Count Gregory of Tuscoli, was elected in 1012, but was driven from Rome by the antipope Gregory. In 1014 he was restored to the papal chair by the Emperor Henry II., and afterwards defeated the Saracens, and took from them, with the help of the Pisans and Genoese, the island of Sardinia; and also various places in Apulia from the Greeks, by the help of Henry. He distinguished himself as a reformer of the clergy, and interdicted, at the synod of Pavia, both clerical marriage and concubinage. He died in 1024.—BENEDICT IX., a nephew of the preceding, obtained the papal throne by simony in 1033, at the age of 18; but in 1038 the Romans rose in indignation, and banished him on account of his almost unexampled licentiousness. By aid of bribery he was several times reinstalled, and as often formally deposed, only to return again by the same means. The Emperor Henry III., to remove such gross scandals from the church, deposed all the three popes—Benedict, Sylvester, and Gregory, and caused Suidger, Bishop of Bamberg, to be elected as Clement II.; but on his death, in 1047, the deposed Benedict IX. again corruptly regained the papal see, and held it for eight months, when he was displaced, first by Damascus II., and afterwards by Leo IX. He died in the convent of Grotta Ferrata in 1056.—BENEDICT XIII. is a title assumed by two popes, Peter de Luna, a Spaniard, chosen by the French cardinals in 1394, and recognised only by Spain and Scotland up to his death in 1424; and Vincenzo Marco Orsini (1724–30), a learned and well-disposed man, of simple habits and pure morals, who unfortunately yielded himself to the guidance of the greedy and unscrupulous Cardinal Coscia, who greatly abused the confidence reposed in him. Benedict always exhibited great moderation in politics, and an honourable love of peace, and was instrumental in bringing about the Seville treaty of 1729. During this pontificate, a remarkably large number of saints, chiefly from the monastic orders, were added to the calendar.—BENEDICT XIV. (Prospero Lambertini), the most worthy to be remembered of all the pontiffs so named, was born at Bologna in 1675. Before his elevation, he had distinguished himself by extensive learning, and by marked ability in the lower offices. Succeeding Clement XII., he began his pontificate, in 1740, with several wise and conciliatory measures; founded chairs of physic, chemistry, and mathematics in Rome; revived the academy of Bologna, and instituted others; dug out the obelisk in the Campus Martius, constructed fountains, rebuilt churches; caused the best English and French books to be translated into Italian; and in many other ways encouraged literature and science. His piety was sincere, enlightened, and tolerant, and his doctrines were well exemplified in his practice. He was extremely concerned for the morals of the clergy, and established a board of examiners for all candidates to vacant sees. Two important bulls were promulgated by him, denouncing such accommodation of Christian doctrines and rites to heathen beliefs and usages as the Jesuits had practised in the East. The only accusation brought against him by his Roman subjects was 'that he wrote and studied too much, but ruled too little,' or left affairs of business too much in the hands of the Cardinal Valentine. After a painful illness, Benedict XIV. died May 3, 1758.