EUGE'NIUS. The name of four popes. (1) EUCENIUS I. Pope from 654 to 657. He was elected from the Roman clergy in a time of strife between the East and the West over questions of doctrine, and showed a spirit of compromise. He is described as charitable and gentle, and reckoned as a saint. (2) EUGENIUS II. A Roman Pope from 824 to S27. The important event of his pontificate was the adoption of the Constitutio Romano (824), which provided that the choice of Pope should be taken from the com mon people and given to the clergy and nobles, his con-seeration, however, to be dependent on confirmation by the Emperor and an oath of homage from the newly chosen pontiff. (3) EUGENIUS 111. Pope from 1145 to 1153. He was a scholar of Bernard of During his pontificate occurred the Second Crusade (1147 1149), which he proclaimed and Bernard preached. He was three times driven from Rome by the Republican party of Arnold of Brescia. (4) EUGENIUS IV. A Venetian, Pope from 1431 to 1447. His pontificate was a season of discord, owing to the proceedings of the Coun cil of Basel and the attacks of enemies at Rome.
The Council of Basel was convoked by his pre decessor, Martin V., and showed a strong ten dency to insubordination. In 1434 Eugenius was compelled to flee from Rome, and remained a refugee at Florence till 1443. In 1436 he at tempted to dissolve the council, and in 1438 opened a new council at Ferrara and issued a bull of excommunication against the bishops assem bled at Basel. The latter deposed him and set up an antipope. Felix V. (1439). Eugenius died at Rome, February 23, 1447, and Felix yieldul in favor of Nicholas V. At the Council of Florence, which succeeded that of Ferrara (q.v.), and at which the Greek Emperor, John Pa leologus 11., and upward of twenty Greek bishops were present, a union wal proclaimed between the Latin and Oreek churches (July, 1439). The ef forts of Eugenics also met with some success in effecting a temporary reconciliation with certain other Eastern churches, See BASET., COUNCIL OF; and FERRARA-FLORENCE, COUNCIL OF.