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ral powers — such were a few of the evils the Church was j suttV'riiiy; under. Hiltlebrand directed all the measures of refuriii, under the authority of the pope. Leo IX died April 19, 1054. Hildcbrand was then sent to the emiieror hy the clergy and tlie people of Kome to ob- tain his assent to the appointment of a new i)Ope. Hil- i debrand proposed bishop Gebhard ; the emperor pro- posed otiicr candidates ; but Hildcbrand finally prevail- ed, and the new pops was elected in 1055, under the name of Victor II, in the old Roman way, thus render- ing the consent of the emperor a mere matter of form. Victor II, urged by Hildcbrand, continued the reforms commenced l.y Leo IX. He assembled councils, and sent Hildebrand to France, Avliere the Church was in great disorder, and still disturbed by the doctrines of Berengar (q. v.). Both tlie pops and the emperor dj'- ing soon after, Stephen IX, an eneni}^ of the new em- peror Henr}' IV, was made pops. Hildebrand was not consulted about the election. This appointment, which resembled a challenge to the emperor, threatened to cause serious difficulties, and to overthrow the plans of Hildebrand, who wished to withdraw from the em- peror the power of appointing popes in a more slow but surer manner. Stephen, however, died soon after his election in 1058, recommending, it is said, the cler- gy and the people to await Hildebrand's return before proceeding to another election. Tliis advice was dis- regarded, and the powerful counts of Tusculum ap- pointed a bishop of Velletri entirely devoted to their interests as successor of Steplien IX, under the name of Benedict X. This election caused great trouble in Rome, and Hildebrand returned in haste from Germa- ny. Backed by the power of German}', he caused the bishop of Florence to be elected pope, under the name of Nicholas 11, bj' an asscmblv held in Tuscan}', and submitted the appointment to the approbation of the emperor in order to secure his protection. At the same time, to avoid the recurrence of irregular elec- tions lij' means of bribery, as had lieen the case in that of Benedict, he contrived a new niL'thod of election, ac- cording to which the choice should first be made by the cardinal bishops, and afterwards submitted succes- siveh- to the otlier cardinals, the clergj', and the peo- ple, all "saving the respect which is due to our be- loved son Henr}', at present king " Nicholas
1 1 dying in 1061, after a reign of two j-ears, new troub- les arose concerning the new mode of election. The cardinals chose Anselm, bishop of Lucca, under the name of Alexander II, but the Koman nobility and part of the population refused to recognise him, and appealed to the emperor, who assembled at Basle a synod of bishops devoted to his cause, which elected Cadalous, bishop of Parma, for pope, under the name of Ilonorius II. Cadalous, like the other bishops of Lomliardy, had been at open war with the see of Kome. Had Rome j-ielded to his election, all the ground gain- ed by Hildcbrand would have been lost. Without any hesitancy, Hildebrand recognised tlie validity of Alex- ander ITs election, and the latter wisely chose the pow- erful monk for his chancellor. Cadalous, at the same time, advanced against Kome at tlie head of a German army, and tlie two popes, after dul}' excommunicating cacli other, fought at the doors of Kome. The Ger- mans were defeated, and Cadalous fled. Tlie young emperor was taken away from his motlier's influence and put under the care of the archl)ishop of Cologne (Anno or Hanno), who caused Alexander's election to be confirmed by the Sjmod of Goslar. Hildelirand, more powerful now than ever, continued to work with all his might for the reformation of the Church and the su]ipression of simonj'. About that time an occurrence took place which throws some light upon Hildebrand's cliaracter, viz. his quarrel with one of tlie most virtu- ous and most austere men of that period. Peter"Uamien (q. v.). After being long united by similarity of views and unity of aim, they disagreed on some point not known, and after that time the writings of the eloquent
bishop are full of proofs of his resentment. At the death of Alexander II, Hildebrand himself was chosen pojie in 1073. He accepted the nomination with re- luctance ; contemporary writers saj^ that the daj' of his election Avas one of great trial to him. This can readily be believed, for none knew better than he the dangers and difficulties of his new position, where he would be obliged to act openly and to meet at once all emergencies. The history of his reign is the political and religious history of Europe in those times.