Pope Alexander II (1010 - 1073). (Part Five).

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In this Council, held at Siponto, Pope Alexander deposed Bishop Lando of Nucerino, Landolf of Tortiboli, and Benedict of Biccari, all on accusations of Simony.[29]

In an attempt to curtail Simony (the buying and selling of Sacred things or positions within The Church), Alexander II sent out many Legates and Archbishops across Europe to enforce reform among local Synods.

Any Clergy suspected of Simony were then investigated. Any Clergy who was invested in his Office by a Lay Person were required to undergo a new investiture by a Papal Legate.

A well-known victim of these campaigns included the Bishop of Constance, who was removed from Office for Simony.[30]

On 30 March 1068, Alexander held a Synod in Rome, in which he absolved the Bishop of Tortosa of a charge of homicide, but deposed the Bishop of Florence on the grounds of Simony; a charge of Simony was laid against the Bishop of Chiusi, who begged for absolution.

The Pope also ordered that Churches not be held by Lay persons and that Ecclesiastical goods not be transmitted from parents to children as though they were subject to the laws of inheritance.[31]

By 1071, the future Emperor Henry IV, though only twenty-one years old, (and still only German King and Roman Patrician), was vigorously at work recovering the powers, privileges and properties which had been allowed to slip away from Imperial control during his Regencies.

He crushed a riot in Saxony in 1069 and overcame the rebellion of the Saxon aristocrat, Otto of Nordheim, in 1071.

But, in 1071, the reforming activities of Pope Alexander resulted in an open rupture with King Henry IV. Archbishop Guido of Milan had recently died, so Henry IV appointed Godfrey (Goffredo) de Castiglione as successor to Guido.

However, Alexander II declared this investiture void, and appointed a Milanese Priest named Attone (Atto), who had already been elected Archbishop on 6 January 1072, in an Electoral meeting sanctioned by Pope Alexander.[32]

In February 1072, Pope Alexander held a Synod in Rome, in which he anathematised Goffredo, and confirmed Atto as Archbishop. He wrote a Letter to Henry IV, informing him of the Papal actions.[33] Henry IV sent five men to Rome to discuss the issue, but Alexander rejected them and subsequently excommunicated them. This led to increased pressure between Henry IV and the Popes.[30]

On 1 October 1071, Pope Alexander II Consecrated The High Altar of the new Basilica Dedicated to Saint Benedict at the Monastery of Monte Cassino. He was assisted by Cardinal Hildebrand and other Cardinals, by ten Archbishops, and forty-four Bishops, as well as Abbots, Clergy, Nobles, and people.[34]

He had already, perhaps at the beginning of his reign, granted Abbot Desiderius personally the Lordship over Terracina.[35]

Pope Alexander also reformed the administration of the Church of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme in Rome, and of the Lateran Basilica, by replacing the Monks of the Order of Monte Cassino with Canons Regular of the Congregation of Saint Frediano of Lucca.[36]

PART SIX FOLLOWS.