The Student's Manual of Modern History

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1880 Excerpt: ... Section HI. The Struggle for Supremacy between the Popes and Emperors. When Leo VIII. was elected to the papacy, in the room of John, he not only took an oath of obedience and fidelity to the emperor, but issued a bull, ordaining that Otho and his successors should have a right of appointing the popes and investing bishops and archbishops; and that none should dare to consecrate a bishop without the permission of the emperor. This fatal blow to the papacy was unpopular with the bishops; they complained that Leo had subverted, at one blow, the structure which hi3 predecessors had toiled to raise during two centuries. When John, after the emperor's departure, returned to Rome, he easily procured the deposition of Leo, and the acknowledgment of his own claims. The restored pope began to exercise great cruelties against his opponents; but in the midst of his career he was assassinated by a young nobleman, whom he had rivalled in the affections of his mistress. The adherents of John still refused to acknowledge Leo, and without consulting the emperor they chose Benedict to succeed the murdered pontiff. But the return of Otho threw them into confusion: Benedict hastily tendered his submission to Leo, by whom he was banished; and the Roman nobility and clergy promised the emperor that they would never confer the papal dignity on any but a native of Germany. On the death of Leo, the electors, obedient to their promise, chose John XIII. by the emperor's permission. The pope was too grateful to his sovereign to resist the encroachments of the imperial power on the city and the Church: the turbulent Romans revolted, and threw John into prison, but Otho soon came to suppress these disturbances. He restored John, and severely punished the authors of the revolt. Thus the...