Talk about some crazy behavior!
I’m ahead of myself, so let’s recap: In the late ninth century Pope Formosus crowned Arnulf, a Frankish king, Holy Roman Emperor. That ticked off Ageltrude who wanted the empire for her offspring, Duke Lambert. So, with her son she forced a trial to get even. Problem was, Formosus had died. No problem. They dug him up and had a trial with the cadaver seated in vestments. Certainly, this is one trial when the defendant did not speak for himself. Anyway, the dead pope was found guilty of perjury and covetousness in front of a courtroom of witnesses and guests. Pope Stephen VI, reigning at the time, had allowed the event that ended with Formosus’ body being thrown into the Tiber. The citizens of Rome weren’t happy about the proceedings, so they deposed Stephen, jailed him, and had him strangled. The next pope, Theodore II retrieved the wet corpse and had it reburied. You won’t believe where this is going. Back and forth over the next decade or so, the succeeding popes, elected from factions that had either supported or opposed Formosus, alternatively exonerated or re-condemned him and his papacy. At least one and maybe two popes were killed in the aftermath of the trial. All this because Ageltrude didn’t get what she wanted.
To what lengths do people go when they don’t get what they want? Fortunately, you have never gone to such lengths as digging up a cadaver for a trial. You let the dead lie. Right? And when others who have somehow offended you are essentially out of sight, you have kept them out of mind. Too bad the people of the late ninth and early tenth centuries could not have you for their behavioral model. You know when and how to drop things.
How does digging up a dead pope or issue serve the present?
I’m ahead of myself, so let’s recap: In the late ninth century Pope Formosus crowned Arnulf, a Frankish king, Holy Roman Emperor. That ticked off Ageltrude who wanted the empire for her offspring, Duke Lambert. So, with her son she forced a trial to get even. Problem was, Formosus had died. No problem. They dug him up and had a trial with the cadaver seated in vestments. Certainly, this is one trial when the defendant did not speak for himself. Anyway, the dead pope was found guilty of perjury and covetousness in front of a courtroom of witnesses and guests. Pope Stephen VI, reigning at the time, had allowed the event that ended with Formosus’ body being thrown into the Tiber. The citizens of Rome weren’t happy about the proceedings, so they deposed Stephen, jailed him, and had him strangled. The next pope, Theodore II retrieved the wet corpse and had it reburied. You won’t believe where this is going. Back and forth over the next decade or so, the succeeding popes, elected from factions that had either supported or opposed Formosus, alternatively exonerated or re-condemned him and his papacy. At least one and maybe two popes were killed in the aftermath of the trial. All this because Ageltrude didn’t get what she wanted.
To what lengths do people go when they don’t get what they want? Fortunately, you have never gone to such lengths as digging up a cadaver for a trial. You let the dead lie. Right? And when others who have somehow offended you are essentially out of sight, you have kept them out of mind. Too bad the people of the late ninth and early tenth centuries could not have you for their behavioral model. You know when and how to drop things.
How does digging up a dead pope or issue serve the present?
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