Pope Benedict IV

Benedict was born in Rome around 840, the son of Mammalus, and was ordained priest by Pope Formosus. He became bishop of Rome on 1 February 900, succeeding Pope John IX. That same year he excommunicated Count Baldwin II of Flanders for murdering Archbishop Fulk of Reims. In 901 he crowned Louis the Blind as emperor, but the following year Berengar of Friuli defeated Louis and forced him out of Italy. Benedict died in Rome on 30 July 903 - possibly with Berengar's involvement - and was buried in front of St Peter's Basilica by the gate of Guido. The tenth-century historian Flodoard, who called him "the Great", praised his noble birth and public generosity.