Pope Benedict IX
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Benedict IX, né Theophylactus (Rome, ca. 1012 - possibly 1055, 1065, or 1085) was pope from 1032 to 1044, again from 1045 to 1046, and finally from 1047 to 1048, the only man to have served as pope for three discontinuous periods (and also one of the youngest Popes in history). The son of Alberich III, count of Tusculum, Benedict was the nephew of Pope Benedict VIII and Pope John XIX. His father obtained the Papal chair for him, granting it to his son in October 1032.
It has been stated that Benedict was no older than 12 when made pontiff. Some sources even claim 11. If this were true, then he would be the youngest pope ever. But the Catholic Encyclopedia [1] (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/) and other sources claim that he was around 18 to 20 years old. Since his precise date of birth is unknown, we can say with certainty only that he must have been one of the youngest popes.
Benedict, being a child or an adolescent at the time of his first assumption of the Holy See, was entirely unsuited to be pontiff; he reportedly led an extremely dissolute life, although in terms of theology and the ordinary activities of the Church he was entirely orthodox. He was briefly forced out of Rome in 1036 and needed the support of Emperor Conrad II to return. In January 1044 he was forced from the city again and replaced by Silvester III, sometimes considered an antipope. Benedict's forces returned in April and expelled his rival. Benedict then resigned in June, possibly desiring to marry, selling his office to priest John Gratian, his godfather (possibly for over 650 kg /1450 lbs of gold). Gratian became Pope Gregory VI in May, 1045. Benedict apparently soon regretted the sale and returned to try to depose Gregory; Silvester also re-emerged to make his claim.
Benedict retook Rome and remained on the throne until July 1046. King Henry III intervened and at the Council of Sutri in December 1046 Benedict and Silvester were deprived of their offices and Gregory was encouraged to resign; Benedict did not actually attend. The German Bishop Suidger was crowned Pope Clement II. Benedict rejected this and when Clement II died in October 1047 he seized the Lateran Palace in November, but was driven away in July 1048 and Poppo of Brixen as Damasus II finally succeeded Clement. Benedict refused to appear on charges of simony in 1049 and was excommunicated.
Benedict's eventual fate is obscure. He may have given up and resigned the pontificate, dying around 1065 in the Abbey of Grottaferrata. Other sources say he died in 1085. Pope Leo IX may have lifted the ban on him. Another report is that he continued to seek support for a return but died in January 1055 or 1056.
| Preceded by: John XIX | Pope 1032–1044 | Succeeded by: Silvester III |
| Preceded by: Silvester III | Pope 1045–1046 | Succeeded by: Gregory VI |
| Preceded by: Clement II | Pope 1047–1048 | Succeeded by: Damasus II Template:End boxde:Benedikt IX. (Papst) es:Benedicto IX fi:Benedictus IX fr:Benoît IX it:Papa Benedetto IX pl:Papież Benedykt IX zh:本篤九世 |