Page "Antipope Benedict X" Paragraph 0

Pope / Antipope Benedict X ( d. 1073 / 1080 ), was born John Mincius, and later became Cardinal Bishop of Velletri.

He was elected in 1058, his election having been arranged by the Count of Tusculum.

However, a number of Cardinals alleged that the election was irregular, and that votes had been bought ; these cardinals were forced to flee Rome.

Hildebrand, later Pope Gregory VII ( 1073 – 85 ), had been sent by the late Pope Stephen IX ( 1057 – 58 ) to the court of Empress Agnes ( mother and regent for Emperor Henry IV, then a minor ), who had questioned the validity of Stephen IX's election.

When, on his return to Rome, he heard of Benedict X's election, he decided to oppose it, and obtained the support of the Duke of Lorraine-Tuscany and Empress Agnes for the election of Gerhard of Burgundy, Bishop of Florence, as Pope instead.

Those cardinals who had opposed Benedict X's election met at Siena in December 1058, and elected Hildebrand's candidate as Pope, who then took the name Nicholas II ( 1059 – 61 ).