Pope Sergius IV

Pope Sergius IV
Papacy began	31 July 1009
Papacy ended	12 May 1012
Predecessor	John XVIII
Successor	Benedict VIII
Orders
Consecration	1004
Created Cardinal	1004 by John XVIII
Personal details
Birth name	Pietro Martino Buccaporci
Born	c. 970 Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire
Died	May 12, 1012(1012-05-12) Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire
Previous post	Cardinal-Bishop of Albano (1004–1009)
Other popes named Sergius

Pope Sergius IV (970-12 May 1012) was Pope and the ruler of the Papal States from 31 July 1009 to his death in 1012.

He was born in Rome as Pietro Martino Buccaporci, which essentially translates as "Peter Pig's Snout."^[1] The date of his birth is unknown but is believed to be around 970.^[1]

Early life

Buccaporci was the son of a shoemaker also by the name of Pietro. Despite his family's poor background, he performed well after entering the Church and rose quickly through the ranks. In 1004, he became the Cardinal-Bishop of Albano after he became a cardinal.^[1]

Papal election

He was elected pope after the abdication of Pope John XVIII in 1009, and adopted the name Sergius IV.

Pontificate

The power held by Sergius IV was small^[2] and often overshadowed by John Crescentius III, the ruler of the city of Rome at the time. Some historians have claimed that Sergius IV was essentially a puppet ruler for Crescentius III. Others, however, claimed that the Pope resisted his power, and there is some evidence that Sergius IV gave political backing to an anti-Crescentius, German faction in the city.^[1][2]

Acts sometimes attributed to Sergius IV include measures to relieve famine in the city of Rome, and the exemption of certain monasteries from episcopal rule.^[2] A papal bull calling for Muslims to be driven from the Holy Land after the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was destroyed in 1009 by the Fatimid caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah has been attributed to him. However, some historians have suggested that this bull was actually invented around the time of the First Crusade in order to help justify that expedition to Jerusalem. More recently, some historians have forcefully argued for the document's authenticity.

Death and legacy

Sergius IV died on 12 May 1012 and was buried in the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran,^[2] and although not canonized is sometimes venerated as a saint by the Benedictines of which he was a member.^[3] There was some suspicion that he was murdered, as he died within a week of Crescentius, considered by many to have been his patron.^[4] Sergius was followed in the papacy by Pope Benedict VIII.

References

Popes of the Catholic Church List of popes canonised Tombs extant non-extant Antipope Pope emeritus Papal resignation Pope-elect 1st–4th centuries Peter Linus Anacletus Clement I Evaristus Alexander I Sixtus I Telesphorus Hyginus Pius I Anicetus Soter Eleuterus Victor I Zephyrinus Callixtus I Urban I Pontian Anterus Fabian Cornelius Lucius I Stephen I Sixtus II Dionysius Felix I Eutychian Caius Marcellinus Marcellus I Eusebius Miltiades Sylvester I Mark Julius I Liberius Damasus I Siricius Anastasius I 5th–8th centuries Innocent I Zosimus Boniface I Celestine I Sixtus III Leo I Hilarius Simplicius Felix III Gelasius I Anastasius II Symmachus Hormisdas John I Felix IV Boniface II John II Agapetus I Silverius Vigilius Pelagius I John III Benedict I Pelagius II Gregory I Sabinian Boniface III Boniface IV Adeodatus I Boniface V Honorius I Severinus John IV Theodore I Martin I Eugene I Vitalian Adeodatus II Donus Agatho Leo II Benedict II John V Conon Sergius I John VI John VII Sisinnius Constantine Gregory II Gregory III Zachary Stephen II Paul I Stephen III Adrian I Leo III 9th–12th centuries Stephen IV Paschal I Eugene II Valentine Gregory IV Sergius II Leo IV Benedict III Nicholas I Adrian II John VIII Marinus I Adrian III Stephen V Formosus Boniface VI Stephen VI Romanus Theodore II John IX Benedict IV Leo V Sergius III Anastasius III Lando John X Leo VI Stephen VII John XI Leo VII Stephen VIII Marinus II Agapetus II John XII Benedict V Leo VIII John XIII Benedict VI Benedict VII John XIV John XV Gregory V Sylvester II John XVII John XVIII Sergius IV Benedict VIII John XIX Benedict IX Sylvester III Benedict IX Gregory VI Clement II Benedict IX Damasus II Leo IX Victor II Stephen IX Nicholas II Alexander II Gregory VII Victor III Urban II Paschal II Gelasius II Callixtus II Honorius II Innocent II Celestine II Lucius II Eugene III Anastasius IV Adrian IV Alexander III Lucius III Urban III Gregory VIII Clement III Celestine III Innocent III 13th–16th centuries Honorius III Gregory IX Celestine IV Innocent IV Alexander IV Urban IV Clement IV Gregory X Innocent V Adrian V John XXI Nicholas III Martin IV Honorius IV Nicholas IV Celestine V Boniface VIII Benedict XI Clement V John XXII Benedict XII Clement VI Innocent VI Urban V Gregory XI Urban VI Boniface IX Innocent VII Gregory XII Martin V Eugene IV Nicholas V Callixtus III Pius II Paul II Sixtus IV Innocent VIII Alexander VI Pius III Julius II Leo X Adrian VI Clement VII Paul III Julius III Marcellus II Paul IV Pius IV Pius V Gregory XIII Sixtus V Urban VII Gregory XIV Innocent IX Clement VIII 17th–20th centuries Leo XI Paul V Gregory XV Urban VIII Innocent X Alexander VII Clement IX Clement X Innocent XI Alexander VIII Innocent XII Clement XI Innocent XIII Benedict XIII Clement XII Benedict XIV Clement XIII Clement XIV Pius VI Pius VII Leo XII Pius VIII Gregory XVI Pius IX Leo XIII Pius X Benedict XV Pius XI Pius XII John XXIII Paul VI John Paul I John Paul II 21st century Benedict XVI Francis Book Category Pope portal Catholicism portal

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