Pope Benedict VI
Benedict was elected to succeed John XIII the Good in 972, but the ratification by Otto I delayed his consecration until January of 973. Very little is known of Benedict's actions over the next few months, except that he confirmed the privileges of some churches and monasteries.
After the death of Otto in May, Benedict had no one to protect him from the powerful Crescentii family of Rome. Crescentius I led the Roman barons in taking power, and in June, 974, Benedict was imprisoned in the Castle of Sant'Angelo. The Crescentii replaced Benedict with a deacon by the name of Franco, who, on the orders of the Crescentii, may have had Benedict strangled or even done the deed himself before he became antipope Boniface VII.
The precise date of Benedict's death is unknown; he is believed to have been killed sometime in July, 974.
Important Dates
Consecrated: Jan. 19, 973
On the Web
Pope Benedict VI
Short biography by Horace K. Mann at the Catholic EncyclopediaBenedict VI
Concise explanation of the events leading up to Benedict's death, at Christ's Faithful People.
In Print
The links below will take you to a site where you can compare prices at booksellers across the web. More in-depth info about the book may be found by clicking on to the book's page at one of the online merchants.
Lives of the Popes: The Pontiffs from St. Peter to John Paul II
by Richard P. McBrienChronicle of the Popes: The Reign-by-Reign Record of the Papacy over 2000 Years
by P. G. Maxwell-Stuart
Related Resources
The Papacy
Index of sites regarding the Popes and the political entity of the Papal States, their impact on medieval culture, and the schisms they endured and overcame.Medieval Italy
Sites that focus on the people and places of Italy during the middle ages and Renaissance.
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