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Pope Innocent III

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Pope

Innocent III
Bishop of Rome
Papacy began8 January 1198
Papacy ended16 July 1216
PredecessorCelestine III
SuccessorHonorius III
Orders
Ordination21 February 1198
Consecration22 February 1198
Created cardinalSeptember 1190
by Clement III
Personal details
Birth nameLotario de' Conti di Segni
Born1160 or 1161
Gavignano, Papal States
Died16 July 1216 (aged 55–56)
Perugia, Papal States
Other popes named Innocent

Pope Innocent III (Latin: Innocentius Tertius; 1160 or 1161 – 16 July 1216) was an Italian priest of the Roman Catholic Church and the 177th Pope from 1198 until his death in 1216.[1]

Early life

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Lotario di Conti was born at Anagni[2] in central Italy. His father was Count Trasimund of Segni[3] who was a member of the Conti family.

During the short reigns of Pope Lucius III, Pope Urban III, Pope Gregory VIII, and Pope Clement III, he served in the church bureaucracy.[3]

Cardinal

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In 1190, Clement III raised him to the rank of Cardinal.[3]

Cardinal Segni was unanimously elected pope on January 8, 1198; and he took the name of Innocent III.[4]

Pope Innocent was involved in Italian and European political disputes.[3]

Pope Innocent promoted the theory that the spiritual power of the church was greater than than any king or emperor.[5] Innocent was the first pope to form a Papal state.[6]

Crusades

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Innocent III was responsible for starting the Fourth Crusade, the Albigensian Crusade, and the Fifth Crusade.[7]

Lateran Council

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In 1215, Innocent brought together the church's bishops and cardinals in a meeting called the Fourth Lateran Council.[3]

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References

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The Coat of Arms of Innocent III
  1. "List of Popes," Catholic Encyclopedia (2009); retrieved 2011-11-02.
  2. "Agnani", Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-11-6.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "Pope Innocent III", Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-10-31.
  4. The Penny Cyclopædia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. C. Knight. 1838. pp. 479–480.
  5. Chisholm, Hugh (1910). The Encyclopedia Britannica: A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, Literature and General Information. Encyclopedia Britannica Company. pp. 578–579.
  6. Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge (1840). The Penny Cyclopaedia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge: Organ - Pertinax. Knight. p. 198.
  7. Pope Innocent III", Crusades Encyclopedia (2005); retrieved 2011-11-6.

Other websites

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Media related to Innocentius III at Wikimedia Commons


Preceded by
Pope Celestine III
Pope
1198–1216
Succeeded by
Pope Honorius III