Pope Lucius III
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Pope Lucius III, born Ubaldo Allucingoli, reigned as head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1 September 1181 to his death in 1185. Born to an aristocratic family in Lucca, prio
Depiction of Lucius III from the Liber ad honorem Augusti by Peter of Eboli (1196)
Pope Gregory IX
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Pope Gregory IX was head of the Catholic Church and the ruler of the Papal States from 19 March 1227 until his death in 1241. He is known for issuing the Decretales and instituting the Papal Inquisiti
Pope Lucius III
…declared as heretics and their abettors. Contrary to what is often said, he did not institute the Inquisition, which was not created until the reign of Pope Gregory IX in 1234. Despite the fulminations of the first three Lateran Councils against married clergy, Lucius wrote in 1184 to the abbot of St. Augustine…
Mosaic of Gregory IX, c. 1225-50
Page from a late 13 c. copy of the Decretals of Gregory IX, now in the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Florence
Fanciful 16th c. fresco depicting Gregory excommunicating Frederick II in the Sala Regia, by Giorgio Vasari. Since few details were provided to the artist, the excommunication scene is given generically. Frederick is shown pointing to a book with the word "Concilium" shown, possibly a reference to the general council that the emperor attempted to call to depose Gregory.