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Benedictus VIPope from January 19, 973 to June 974
Date of Birth: .
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Content:
- Early Life and Career
- Election and Pontificate
- Otto's Death and Deposition
- Captivity and Assassination
- Ecclesiastical Legacy
Early Life and Career
Benedict VI was a cardinal-deacon at San Teodoro before his elevation to the papacy. He was a protégé of Emperor Otto I the Great.
Election and Pontificate
Upon the death of Pope John XIII, Benedict VI was elected on September 22, 972, with Otto's support. This thwarted the ambitions of the powerful Roman patrician family, the Crescentii, who had been influential under John XIII. However, Benedict's consecration was delayed until January 19, 973, pending confirmation from the emperor.
Otto's Death and Deposition
With Otto's death in May 973, Benedict VI lost his protector in Rome. The following year, he was deposed by a group of nobles led by the antipope Boniface VII.
Captivity and Assassination
In June 974, while imprisoned in Castel Sant'Angelo, Benedict VI was assassinated. His death marked the end of a tumultuous period in the history of the papacy.
Ecclesiastical Legacy
Benedict VI's ecclesiastical achievements were limited, with the notable exception of establishing the Archbishopric of Prague. Despite his brief reign, his pontificate played a role in the transition between the reigns of Otto I and his son Otto II and in the ongoing power struggles among Roman aristocratic families.
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