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From The Lives of the Popes from the Time of our Saviour Jesus Christ to the Accession of Gregory VII. Written Originally in Latin by B. Platina, Native of Cremona, and translated into English (from an anonymous translation, first printed in 1685 by Sir Paul Rycaut), Edited by William Benham, Volume I, London: Griffith, Farran, Okeden & Welsh, [1888, undated in text]; pp. 186-188.

The Lives of the Popes,
BY
B. Platina

Volume I.


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186

ZACHARIAS  I.

A.D. 741-752.

ZACHARIAS, a Grecian, the son of Polychronius, is reckoned in the number of the best Popes. For he was a person of a very mild disposition and wonderfully sweet conversation; every way deserving; a lover of the clergy and people of Rome; slow to anger, but very forward to exercise mercy and clemency; rendering to no man evil for evil, but in imitation of our Saviour, overcoming evil with good, and that to such a degree, that after his arriving to the papal dignity, he preferred and enriched those who had envied and hated him. At the beginning of his pontificate, finding Italy inflamed in war, in order to procure a peace he forthwith sends legates to Luithprandus, King of the Lombards, who now made war upon Transamundus, Duke of Spoleto. But these legates not effecting the design, he himself goes in person, accompanied with the Roman clergy, into Sabina; and it is said that, in sign of honour, the king met him eight miles from Narni, and alighting off his horse, accompanied him on foot into the city. The day following, while they were at Mass, the Pope made publicly an elegant oration, wherein he set forth the duty of a Christian king both in the time of peace and war; and it is reported that the king was so wrought upon by it, that he presently put the sole power of accommodating matters into the Pope’s hands. The king had already deposed Transamund, and invested Agrandus, his nephew, in the dukedom. Yet, at the Pope’s intercession, Transamund was received into favour; but he, quitting all pretensions to the dukedom, entered into holy orders. All the towns which had been taken in Sabina were restored; as also Narni and Ancona, and whatever places the Lombards had for thirty years past made themselves masters of in Tuscany. Moreover, all who had been made prisoners during the war were set at liberty. Luithprandus, having been treated by the Pope with all imaginable expressions of endearment and respect, marched thence peaceably with his army, and not long after died, in the thirty-second year of his reign. He was a person who deserved that kingdom, both for his extraordinary wisdom and prudence, and also for his valour and warlike temper, in which 187 no man excelled him; so eminent also for justice and clemency, that it is hard to judge whether of these two virtues were more conspicuous in him. His nephew Hildeprandus succeeded him in the kingdom, which having held only six months, he also died; and Duke Rachis, a prince whose piety and integrity deserve the highest praise, was unanimously chosen in his stead. By him also a league was renewed with the Pope, to whose legates the devout and religious king graciously granted whatever they desired. But having reigned four years, he quitted his government, and betook himself to a monastic life, encouraging his wife and his sons to do the like. His brother Aistulphus succeeded him, whose crafty and fierce temper threatened disturbance to all Italy, but especially to the Pope and the Romans, whom he designed by force to bring under his jurisdiction. In the meantime Charles Martel, being seized with a violent sickness, at the persuasion of his friends divided his acquests between his two sons; of whom Carloman, the elder, had Austrasia and Suevia, and Pipin, Burgundy and part of France. And so that valiant and wise man died at Cressey sur Serre, in the thirty-fifth year of his office of Mayor of the Palace, and was buried at Paris in the Church of St Dennis. He had had by a former wife another son named Grypho, whose rapacious temper suited with his name; he prevailed with the warlike Saxons to assist him in making war upon his brethren. But Carloman and Pipin entering Saxony with an army, force their prince, Theodoric, to submission. After this expedition, Carloman comes to Rome, and there renouncing the Pope and glory of empire, he goes to Mount Cassino, and takes the habit of a monk of St Benedict. But Pipin, being of an aspiring mind, sends ambassadors to the Pope, desiring that by his authority he would confirm to him the kingdom of France. The Pope upon the score of former good services performed by his family, and the ancient friendship which had been between them and the Popes his predecessors, yields to his request, and accordingly confirms him, A.D. 751, and so from mayor of the palace, who was the first officer of the kingdom, Pipin was advanced to the kingdom of France itself, from whom the succeeding kings derive their original. It is reported that Carloman, who, as we have said, had taken the habit of a monk, came now with others of the same order, from Mount Cassino to Pope 188 Zachary, desiring that by his mediation they might gain leave to remove the body of St Benedict, which had by stealth been carried away to the Abbey of Fleury in the kingdom of France. The Pope granted their desire, and thereupon sent a message to King Pipin, who, upon information in the matter, freely gave way to it. Zachary, now enjoying peace on every side, set himself to the repairing of several decayed churches. The tower and portico before the Lateran Church he built from the ground, made the windows and gates of brass, and upon the frontispiece of the portico caused a map of the world to be delineated. He renewed the defaced images of the saints; enlarged and beautified the Lateran Palace; repaired the Palatine library, and assigned to every church a revenue for the maintenance of oil for their lamps. He gave to St Peter’s an altar-cloth embroidered with gold and set with jewels, having the effigies of our blessed Saviour wrought upon it. He built the church of St George in Velabro, and reposited the head of that saint therein; as also the church of St Cecilia in the Via Tiburtina, six miles from the city, and in it an oratory in honour of St Cyrus the abbot, settling a maintenance for the priests that ministered in it. He rebuilt the roof of the church of St Eusebius, which happened in his time to tumble down. He also gave order that his servants should daily distribute and give out at the Lateran Palace alms to the poor of all sorts. Moreover, he forbade the Venetians, upon pain of excommunication, the selling of Christian slaves to Saracens and heathens, which those merchants were before wont to do. Finally, that we may not think that his advancement to so great a dignity made him neglect his studies, he translated out of Latin into Greek four books of Gregory in dialogue; that so the Grecians might be instructed in the rules of good living. But having with such integrity to the satisfaction of all men governed the Church ten years, three months, he died, and was buried in St Peter’s, March the 15th. By his death the see was vacant twelve days.

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Previous Pope:  92. Gregory III. 93. Zacharias I. Next Pope: 94. Stephen II.

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