Editing Desiderius (section)

==Rise to power==
Born in [[Brescia]], Desiderius was originally a royal officer, the ''dux'' of [[Tuscany|Tuscia]] and he became king after the death of [[Aistulf]] in 756.{{sfn|Christie|1998|p=105}}{{efn|French historian Pierre Riché claims that Aistulf's death was providential for it "allowed the pope to influence the royal election in Pavia" in favor of Desiderius.{{sfn|Riché|1993|p=73}} }} At that time, Aistulf's predecessor, [[Ratchis]], left his monastic retreat of [[Monte Cassino|Montecassino]] and tried to seize the kingdom, but Desiderius put his revolt down quickly with the support of [[Pope Stephen II]]. At his coronation, Desiderius promised to restore many lost papal towns to the [[Holy See]] and even enlarge the Papal State.{{sfn|Riché|1993|p=73}}

By 757, Desiderius began securing his power, taking what historian Walter Goffart terms, "vigorous steps to suppress resistance to himself in the powerful duchies of [[Spoleto]], in central Italy, and Benevento, to the south."{{sfn|Goffart|2012|p=338}} When the upstart Liutprand ([[Duchy of Benevento|Duke of Benevento]])—who despised Desiderius—challenged his kingship and threatened to place himself under the protection of [[Pepin the Short]], Desiderius obtained naval assistance from Byzantium and put an end to Luitprand's defiant actions.{{sfn|Goffart|2012|p=338}} The Lombard king then granted Luitprand's former duchy to his foe's son, [[Arechis II of Benevento|Arechis]].{{sfn|Goffart|2012|p=338}} In that same year, Desiderius deposed [[Alboin of Spoleto]] and exercised the ducal powers there himself.{{sfn|Noble|1984|p=107}} Seeking, like his predecessors, to extend Lombard power in [[Italy]], Desiderius challenged the papacy and vied for the southern duchies. In the August of 759, Desiderius made his son [[Adelchis]] associate King of Lombardy.{{sfn|Blunsom|2013|p=158}}{{efn|Adelchis and Desiderius co-ruled the region until they were deposed in June 774.{{sfn|Blunsom|2013|p=158}} }}

Shortly after visiting Rome, where he prayed at the tomb of St. Peter, Desiderius "returned to the aggressive expansive policy of his predecessors."{{sfn|Frassetto|2003|p=141}} He even negotiated with Byzantium in an arrangement that would have eroded papal authority and resulted in further territorial loss for the Holy See in Rome.{{sfn|Frassetto|2003|pp=141–142}} Sometime in 760, envoys from Pepin convinced Desiderius to return some of the cities he captured back to the papacy, but the Lombard king did not follow through on his promises.{{sfn|Frassetto|2003|p=142}}