Leo V

Pope, was born at Priapi, near Ardea (according to some at Arezzo). He entered the order of Benedictines, became cardinal, and was finally elected to the papal chair Oct. 28. 903. A few days afterwards, Christopher, cardinal priest of St. Lorenzo, in Damaso, and chaplain of Leo, instigated an insurrection at Rome, and made the pope prisoner, under the plea that he was incapable of governing. Christopher now exacted from Leo a formal abdication, and the promise of returning into his convent. According to Sigonius, Leo died "of grief" in his prison one month and nine days after his election. He was buried in St. John of Lateran. But Christopher himself did not remain long in the papal chair, as a new revolt of the Romans drove him from the usurped see, and put in his place Sergius III, who was the favorite of the celebrated Marozia, a powerful but licentious woman, who disposed of everything in Rome. The 10th century may well be termed the darkest sera of the papacy. See Platina, Historia de Vitis Pontificum, etc.; Artaud de Montor, Hist. des souverains Pontifes Ronmains, 2:62; Du Chene, Hist. des Papes; Baxmann, Politik der Papste, 2:76 sq.; Bower, Hist. of the Popes, 5:86; Riddle, Hist. of the Papacy,

2:36; Genebrard, Chron.; Herzog, Real-Encyklop. 8:315; English Cyclopaedia; Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, 30:711.