Pope Gregory III - Conflict With The Lombards

Conflict With The Lombards

Conscious of the ongoing Lombard threat, Gregory undertook and completed the restoration of the Walls of Rome during the early 730s. He also refortified Centumcellae, and purchased off Thrasimund II of Spoleto the fortress of Gallese along the Via Flaminia, which had been taken by the Lombards, interrupting Rome’s communications with the exarch at Ravenna. The return of the Lombard king Liutprand in 737 saw a renewal of the Lombard assault on the Exarchate of Ravenna.

Gregory’s opposition to iconoclasm did not stop him lending support to the eastern empire to help in the recapture of Ravenna after it had fallen to the Lombards in around 738. That same year, Liutprand demanded that the Lombard dukes of Spoleto and Beneventum ravage the area around the Duchy of Rome, but both refused, citing a treaty with the pope. Gregory then actively encouraged the rebellion of Thrasimund II of Spoleto, forcing Liutprand to temporarily abandon his attacks on the Exarchate, and turn his attention towards Spoleto, which Liutprand annexed. Thrasimund was forced to flee Spoleto, and sought refuge in Rome, where he was welcomed by Gregory.

By the middle of 739, Liutprand was encroaching once again on the Exarchate, and threatening Rome. In desperation, Gregory sent ambassadors to Charles Martel, the Frankish Mayor of the Palace, begging him to intervene on the pope’s behalf. Although Gregory stated that he was willing to give up his allegiance to the Eastern Empire and place himself under the protection of the Franks, Charles made no promise to assist. The Lombard capture of the towns of Ameria, Ortas, Polimartium and Blera once again caused Gregory to write to Charles, this time in even greater tones of despair, beseeching his aid. He wrote:

”Our affliction moves us to write to you once again, trusting that you are a loving son of St. Peter and of us, and that, from respect for him, you will come and defend the Church of God and His peculiar people, who are now unable to endure the persecution and oppression of the Lombards. They have seized the very means set aside to furnish funds for the lights ever kept burning at St. Peter s tomb, and they have carried off offerings that have been made by you and by those who have gone before you. And because, after God, we have turned to you, the Lombards deride and oppress us. Hence the Church of St. Peter has been stripped and reduced to the last straits. We have put into the mouth of the bearer of this letter, your faithful servant all our woes, which he will be able to unfold to you. Please come at once, to show your love towards St. Peter, and us, his own people”.

This time Charles Martel did send an embassy to Rome, and this implicit support, together with the beginnings of fever running through his troops, forced Liutprand to march back to Pavia by the end of August 739. Taking advantage of this withdrawal, Gregory agreed to support Thrasimund II’s return to Spoleto, who forced his way back in by December 739 with Roman armed support. However, Thrasimund refused to hand over the four captured towns which he had promised to do in exchange papal support. Even worse news was to follow; learning that Charles Martel was sick, Liutprand once again returned to attacking the Exarchate in 740, forcing Gregory yet again to appeal to the Franks, who again refused to become involved. He also sent an embassy to Liutprand, asking for the return of the towns, but also without success.

Unsuccessful at stopping the Lombard advance, Gregory III died on 28 November 741, and was succeeded by Pope Zachary. He was buried in St. Peter’s Basilica, in the oratory he had built at the start of his pontificate. Gregory’s Feast day is celebrated on 28 November.