Pope Paul I
Paul I was Pope from 757-767.
He first appears as a
Roman deacon and was frequently employed by
his brother, Pope Stephen II, in negotiations with
the Lombard kings.
After Stephen's death (April
26, 757) Paul was chosen his successor by those
who wished a continuation of the late pope's policy. The new pope's reign was dominated by his relations
to the Frankish and Lombard kings and to the Eastern emperor. He adopted an independent
tone in informing the exarch in Ravenna of his election, but wrote to Pepin that the Frankish alliance
should be maintained unimpaired, being forced to
this course by the attitude of the Lombard king,
Desiderius. The latter held the cities of Imola[?], Osimo[?], Bologna, and Ancona, which were claimed
by Rome, and in 758 seized upon the duchies of Spoleto[?] and Benevento.
The same year he visited
Rome and compelled Paul to write to Pepin
asking him to concede all the Lombard claims except
that to Imola; another letter of exactly opposite
tenor was sent by the same messenger. Pepin
found it advisable to maintain good relations with Desiderius, and Paul accomplished nothing by
his double-dealing. Later, however, Pepin gave
the pope some support and acted as arbiter between
the Roman and Lombard claims.
In 765 the papal privileges were restored in Beneventine and Tuscan
territory and partially in Spoleto. Meanwhile, the alienation from Byzantium grew greater.
Several times, especially in 759, Paul feared that the Greek emperor would send an armament against
Rome; and he lived in continual dread lest Byzantine machinations turn the Frankish influence
in favor of the Lombards. This was actually attempted, but Pepin held to his original Italian
policy.