Pope Adrian I

Born around 700 into Rome's military aristocracy, Adrian lost his father Theodore early and was raised by his uncle Theodotus, a consul and officer of the Roman Church. He became bishop of Rome on 1 February 772, inheriting the papacy's chronic problem: Lombard kings kept trying to carve up its Italian holdings, and Constantinople sent no help. The crisis came when Lombard king Desiderius backed the sons of Charlemagne's late brother Carloman and demanded Adrian crown them kings of the Franks. Adrian refused. Desiderius invaded, seizing the Duchy of the Pentapolis. Charlemagne marched south, besieged Pavia, took the Lombard crown, and handed the Pentapolis and additional territory back to the papacy. Adrian ruled until his death on 25 December 795, having locked in the Frankish alliance that would reshape medieval Europe.