Pope Benedict VII

Reign: 974 – 983
Life: d. 983

Family and early career Benedict was born in Rome , the son of David or Deodatus and nephew of Alberic II of Spoleto . Before his accession to the papacy, he served as bishop of Sutri . The Lives and Times of the Popes , The Catholic Publication Society of New York, 1911 ^ Cite error: The named reference Mann was invoked but never defined (see the help page ). Benedict VII consecrated the priest James, who had been sent to him by the people of Carthage "to help the wretched province of Africa," which since the Muslim conquest of the Maghreb , had seen a steep decline in the number of bishops.

During Pope Benedict VII's reign, Eric the Victorious ruled Sweden, Otto II ruled Holy Roman Empire, and Kenneth II of Scotland ruled Scotland.

Want to learn more? Further reading

Absolute Monarchs: A History of the Papacy by John Julius Norwich

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The World During Their Reign

The most notable rulers who held power elsewhere at the same time, from European courts to Ottoman, Mughal, and Chinese thrones.

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Go deeper on Pope Benedict VII

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Absolute Monarchs: A History of the Papacy

John Julius Norwich

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