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near Laon) in 754 the league between the king and the pope was ratified by. the nobles, and it was decided to send an army against the Lombards. The pope showed his gratitude by anointing on July 28, 754, in St. Denis Pippin and his two sons kings and patricians of Rome and binding the Franks under menace of ban and interdict never to elect a king except from the house of Pippin. Before the outbreak of the war Aistulf made an attempt to separate Pippin from Stephen, and for this purpose in the spring of 754 sent, the monk Karlmann, brother of Pippin, who since 747 had lived in Italy, across the Alps to remind the king of the solidarity of the Frankish and Lombardic interests. Karlmann met his brother in Quierzy, but lie came too late. Pippin put his brother into a monastery at Vienne, where he soon afterkvard died. All entreaties of Pippin and Stephen by other embassies to yield peacefully were disregarded by Aistulf, for the incorporation of Rome and Ravenna was a vital question for the Lombardic kingdom. Here the sword had to decide and the decision favored the Franks. In the autumn of 754 Aistulf was forced to make peace; he promised indemnification to the Roman church and the surrender of Ravenna and a number of other cities between the mountains and the Adriatic Sea. Stephen returned to Rome victorious; but the joy of victory was short-lived. Aistulf broke his promises, and in the winter of 755-756 marched against Rome and besieged .the pope. In order to maintain the results of the first war of the Lombards, Pippin had to undertake a second campaign. He was again victorious; Aistulf now surrendered Ravenna and twenty other cities to Stephen with a deed of donation; while Rome came to be regarded as a province of -the Frankish kingdom. The death of Aistulf (Dec., 756) delivered Stephen from apprehension; he lived to see the enthronement of the Frankish prot6g6 Desiderius (Mar., 757), and died Apr. 27, 757. (A. HAUCB.)

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Sources are: Liter pontificalis, ed. L. Duchesne, i. 440, Paris, 1886; the continuation of Fredegar's Chronicon, ed. B. Krusch, in MGH, Script. rer. Merov., ii (1888), 168-193; Jaffk, Regesta, i. 271-272; Acta regum et imperatorum Karolirwrum, ed. T. Sickel, ii. 380-381, Vienna, 1868; the Epistohe in Bouquet, Recueil, Vol. v.; the Epistolo: et decreta, in MPL, Vol. lxxxix. Consult further: A. von Reumont, Geschichte der Stadt Rom, ii. 113 aqq., Berlin, 1867; R. Baxmann, Die Politik der Ptipste, i. 233 sqq., Elberfeld, 1868; P. Genelin, Die Schenkungsaersprechen and die Schenkung Pippins, Vienna, 1880; H. Thelen, Die LUSUng der Streitjrape fiber die Verharedlunaen Pippins mit Stephan IL, Oberhausen, 1881; W. Martens, Die romische Frage unter Pippin and Karl demGrossen, pp. 6 sqq., Stuttgart, 1881; idem, Neue Erdr: terungen zur rdmischen Frage, ib. 1882; idem, Beleuchtung der neuesten Koutroversen, Munich, 1898; Hirsch, Die Scheukunpen Pippins uud Karls des Grossen, Berlin, 1882; J. Langen, Geschichte der riimischen Kirche, ii. 649 sqq., Bonn, 1885; K. Lamprecht, Die romische Frage, Leipsie, 1889; F. Gregorovius, Hist. of the City of Rome, ii. 272304, London, 1894; G. Schniirer, Die Eutstehuug des Kirchenstaats, Cologne, 1894; T. Lindner, Die sogenannten Scheukungen. Pigpens . , Stuttgart, 1896; J. A. Ketterer, Karl der Grosse and die Kirche, Munich, 1898; H. Lilienfein, Die Anschauuugen von Staat and Kirche, pp. 8 aqq., Heidelberg, 1902; Hauck, KD, ii. 17 aqq.; Bower, Popes, ii. 90-108; Platina, Popes, i. 189-192; Milman, Latin Christianity, ii. 41724; DCB, iv. 730-735. The literature under PAPAL STATES 19 Of primary importance here.

by.birth; under Gregory TIT. he came to Rome where he entered the monastery of St. Chrysogonus. Pope Zacharias took him into his service and consecrated him presbyter of St. Cecilia; he had close relations also.with Stephen II. and especially with Paul I. This explains his election by the opponents of Constantine IL, which signified the intention to adhere to the Frankish alliance. The first care of Stephen was the entire removal of his predecessor. Therefore he asked Pippin and his sons to send some bishops versed in Scripture and canon law to Rome, so that Constantine might be condemned at a synod in their presence. When the papal legate arrived Pippin was already dead, but his two sons met the desire of the new pope; the intended synod was held Apr. 12-14, 769, in the Lateran basilica in the presence of twelve Frankish bishops. The most important work of the synod was not the deposition of Constantine, but the regulations concerning election of popes, which was put into the hands of the clergy, the share of laymen being restricted to acclamation after the election and to the signature of the protocol of election. The third matter discussed at the synod referred to the veneration of images, which was confirmed in opposition to the Greeks (see IMAGES AND IMAGE WORSHIP, IL, § 3).

Stephen appears but a tool of the party which elected him, unable to stop the bloodshed of the period. The difficulties of Stephen's position arose from his relations with the Lombards. The Roman leaders Christophorus and Sergius had overthrown Constantine with the aid of the Lombards; but it immediately appeared that their interests and those of the Lombards were not identical. The two party leaders now openly. opposed the L ombards and became the spokesmen of the demands of the Church. But Stephen perceived that the Roman and Lombardic powers were too unequal for him to venture on a rupture, unless he could oppose Desiderius with a superior ally. Thus he turned to the Franks. Soon after the Lateran synod he addressed a letter to Charles and Carloma,n in which he asked their assistance in his attempt to enforce the still unsatisfied claims of St. Peter from King Desiderius. But Stephen saw that his design had little chance of being carried out. Since the death of Pippin the government of the Frankish empire had lacked unity, the relations between Charle Carloman being strained; moreover, since C had married Desiderata, the daughter of the Lombard king, the Lombardic and Frankish relations had improved and the policy of the Franks had changed. In the winter of 770-771 the pope came to an agreement with Desiderius. Desiderius demanded the overthrow of the leaders of the anti-Lombardic party, while he himself made concessions toward satisfying the Roman demands. Christophdrus and Sergius took up arms. for their defense; but their resistance was unavailing, and Stephen was compelled to sacrifice to his foes the men to whom he owed his position. In consequence of the overthrow of the leaders of the Frankish party in Rome the guidance of the papal policy fell into the hands of Lombard partizans. Desiderius broke his promises; yet the pope was unable to extract any advantage from the breach between Franks and