BEN'EDICT. The name of 14 Popes. BEN EDICT I., Pope 574-7S, during the Lombard devastation of Italy, grief at which is said to have killed him.—BEN EDICT II., Pope 083-85, canonized for his virtues. Ile decided the Eng lish controversy in favor of Wilfrid of York (q.v.), and labored in vain to reclaim Macarius, the Patriarch of Antioch, who was living in exile in Ilome, from his monotheistic belief. BENEDICT III., Pope 855-58. his election was op posed by the Emperor Lothair; but he was finally acknowledged, and did much during his short reign for the building and adornment of churches in Rome.—BENEnicr IV., Pope 900-03, famous for his charity to the poor and other virtues only too rare in the unhappy Tenth Con tury.—BENEDICT V., Pope 904-65, elected against the will of the Emperor Otho 1., who carried him off to Germany. where he died a prisoner in Ilamburg.-11ENEnte'r VI., Pope 972-74. Ile met with a similar fate, at the hands of the Consul Crescentius, son of the notorious Theo dora.—BENEDICT VII., Pope 974-83. He was a promoter of monasticism and ecclesiastical dis cipline. and summoned a synod for the supres sion of simony. Ilis later years, like those of Benedict 1., were saddened by the devastation of Roman territory, this time by the Emperor Otho IL—BENEmcT son of Count Gregory of Tusculum, was elected in 1012; but the Anti pope Gregory, who had been elected at the same time, fled to the court of the Emperor Henry II. to get his assistance, but Henry decided in favor of Benedict, who a little later crowned him in Rome (1014). Benedict 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. lie distinguished himself as a' reformer of the clergy, and inter dicted, at the synod of Pavia, both clerical mar riage and eoncubinage. He died in 1024. See his Life by P. G. Wappler (Leipzig, 1897).— BENEDICT IX., a nephew of the preceding, named Theophylact, was elected Pope at the age of 10, in 1033; but a little later the Romans banished him. He was reinstated by Conrail II. (1038) ; again formally deposed by the Consul Ptole nucus, who set up Sylvester III. in his place (1044) ; and after three months was once more installed as I'ope. By a new compact, John Gratianus was declared Pope under the name of Gregory VI. (1045). The Emperor Henry III. deposed all the three Popes—Benedict, Sylvester, and Gregory—and caused Snidger, Bishop of Bamberg, to be elected as Clement IL (1046) ; but on his death, in 1047, the de posed Benedict IX. again regained the Papal See, and held it eight months, until 104S, when lie Was displaced, first by Damasus II., and afterwards by Leo IX. According to one report he died in the Convent of Grotta Ferrata in 1056. See his Lifc by Giovagnoli (Milan. 1900). —BENEDICT X., a disputed Pope, 1058-59.—BEN EDICT XI., Pope 1303-04.—BENEDICT XII., Pope 1334-42, one of the Avignon Popes.—BENEDICT
X III. (born Pietro Francesco degli Orsini), Pope 1724-30, was a learned and well-disposed man, of simple habits and pure morals, though rather strict in his notions on the Papal prerog ative. He unfortunately yielded himself to the guidance of Cardinal Coscia, a greedy, unscru pulous personage, who greatly abused the confi dence reposed in him. Benedict always exhibited great moderation in politics, and an honorable 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, including Pope Gregory VII. and John of Neponruk, were added to the calendar. The name Benedict XIII. was also claimed by the Antipope Pedro de Luna (q.v.) 1394 to I MD.—BENEDICT X1V.
(Prospero Lambertini), Pope 1740-58—the most worthy to he remembered of all the pontiffs so named. He was born in Bologna in 1675. Be fore his elevation, he had distinguished himself by extensive learning, and by ability in the several offices of promoter fidei Bishop of An cona (1727), cardinal (1728), and Archbishop of Bologna (1731). Succeeding Clement XII., he began his pontificate in 1740, with several wise and conciliatory measures; founded chairs of physic, chemistry, and mathematics in Rome; revised the Academy of Bologna, and instituted others: dug out the obelisk in the Campus Mar tins, 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. Ile was extremely anxious that the morals, of the clergy should be untainted; and, to that effect, established a board of examiners for all candidates to vacant sees. In proof of his toler ation, lie showed the frankest kindness to all strangers visiting his capital. whatever the nature of their religious opinions. 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 Cardinal Valentine. After a painful illness, Benedict XIV. died May 3, 1758. His most important works are that On the Diocesan Synod; On the Sacrifice of the Mass; and On the Beatification and Canonization of Saints, a standard work, of which a part was translated under the title Heroic Virtue (London, 1850, 3 vole.). An edi tion of his writings was published under the care of the Jesuit Azevedo (12 vole., 1747 51), but more completely at Venice (1767, 15 vols.) ; and at Prato (1839-46. 17 vole.). His letters, written in Italian. to Carnu Peggi. be tween 1729 and 1758, were published by F. X. Kraus (Freiburg, 1884, 2d ed. as a biography by F. Scargelli, with a bibliography, 1888). Some more of his letters, edited by B. Manzone, ap peared at Bra in 1890.