Editing Pope Gregory VII (section)

==Early life==
Gregory was born '''Hildebrand''' ({{langx|it|Ildebrando}}) in the town of [[Sovana]], in the County of [[Grosseto]], now southern [[Tuscany]], the son of a [[blacksmith]].<ref>Johann Georg Estor, ''Probe einer verbesserten Heraldic'' (Giessen 1728), "vorrede": ''Das Pabst Hildebrand ein Zimmermanns Sohn gewesen, we noch der Pater Daniel in der netten Historie von Franckreich geglaubet, rechnete der Pater Maimburg und Pater Pagi nicht unbillig zu eben dieser Ordnung''. Francesco Pagi, ''Breviarium historico-chronologico criticum'' Tomus II (Antwerp 1717),  p. 417, attributed to Cardinal Baronius the notion that the father was a ''faber'', but that Papebroch considered him to be of noble stock.</ref> As a youth he was sent to study in Rome at the monastery of [[Santa Maria del Priorato Church|St. Mary on the Aventine]], where his uncle was reportedly abbot of a monastery on the [[Aventine Hill]].<ref name="SHMI">{{cite book|author=Paolo O. Pirlo|title=My First Book of Saints|year=1997|publisher=Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate - Quality Catholic Publications|isbn=978-971-91595-4-4|page=105|chapter=St. Gregory VII}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bartleby.com/210/5/254.html|title=Saint Gregory VII., Pope and Confessor. Volume V: The Lives of the Saints|last=Butler|first=Alban|date=25 May 1866|website=www.bartleby.com|access-date=5 April 2019}}</ref> Among his masters were the erudite Lawrence, [[archbishop of Amalfi]], and Johannes Gratianus, the future [[Pope Gregory VI]].{{sfn|Cowdrey|1998|p=29}} When the latter was deposed at the Council of Sutri in December of 1046, with approval of the Holy Roman Emperor [[Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor|Henry III]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bugnolo |first=Alexis |date=2023-10-19 |title=The Provincial Council of Sutri, Dec. 20-23, 1046 A.D., and It's importance for the Church of Today (Video) {{!}} From Rome |url=https://www.fromrome.info/2023/10/19/the-provincial-council-of-sutri-dec-20-23-1046-a-d-and-its-importance-for-the-church-of-today-video/ |access-date=2024-05-25 |website=FromRome.Info |language=en-US}}</ref> and exiled to [[Germany]], Hildebrand followed him to [[Cologne]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}} According to some chroniclers, Hildebrand moved to [[Cluny]] after Gregory VI's death, which occurred in 1048; though his declaration to have become a monk at Cluny is disputed.<ref name=":0" />

He then accompanied Cluny's [[Abbot]] [[Bruno of Toul]] to Rome; there, Bruno was elected pope, choosing the name [[Leo IX]], and named Hildebrand as [[deacon]] and papal administrator. In 1054 Leo sent Hildebrand as his [[papal legate|legate]] to [[Tours]] in [[France]] in the wake of the controversy created by [[Berengar of Tours]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=ZFQaAwAAQBAJ&dq=Council+of+Tours&pg=PA192 Radding, Charles and Newton, Francis. ''Theology, Rhetoric, and Politics in the Eucharistic Controversy, 1078-1079'', Columbia University Press, 2003, p. 6] {{ISBN|9780231501675}}</ref> At Leo's death, the new pope, [[Pope Victor II|Victor II]], confirmed him as legate, while Victor's successor [[Stephen IX]] sent him and [[Pope Alexander II|Anselm of Lucca]] to Germany to obtain recognition from [[Empress Agnes]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}} Stephen died before being able to return to Rome, but Hildebrand was successful; he was then instrumental in overcoming the crisis caused by the Roman aristocracy's election of an antipope, [[Benedict X]],<ref>According to the sources, feeling he was nearing his end, Stephen had his cardinals swear that they would wait for Hildebrand's return to Rome before electing his successor.{{cite journal|first=Agostino|last=Paravicini Bagliani|title=Una carriera dietro le quinte|journal=Medioevo|issue=143|date=December 2008|page=70}}</ref> who, thanks also to Agnes's support, was replaced by the [[Bishop of Florence]], [[Pope Nicholas II|Nicholas II]].<ref name=Weber>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11055a.htm Weber, Nicholas. "Pope Nicholas II." The Catholic Encyclopedia] Vol. 11. New York: Robert Appleton 1911 {{PD-notice}}</ref> With the help of 300 Norman knights sent by [[Richard I of Capua|Richard of Aversa]], Hildebrand personally led the conquest of the castle of Galeria Antica where Benedict had taken refuge.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lazionascosto.it/citta-fantasma-borghi-abbandonati-del-lazio/galeria-antica/|title=Galeria Antica|website=Lazio Nascosto|language=it-IT|access-date=5 April 2019}}</ref> Between 1058 and 1059, he was made [[archdeacon]] of the Roman church, becoming the most important figure in the papal administration.<ref>G. B. Borino, "L' arcidiaconato di Ildebrando," ''Studi Gregoriani'' 3 (1948), 463–516.</ref>

He was again the most powerful figure behind the election of Anselm of Lucca the Elder as [[Pope Alexander II]] in the [[1061 papal election|papal election of October 1061]].<ref name=":0"/> The new pope put forward the reform program devised by Hildebrand and his followers.<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911|wstitle=Alexander (popes)|inline=1}}</ref> In his years as papal advisor, Hildebrand had an important role in the reconciliation with the [[Italo-Normans|Norman kingdom of southern Italy]], in the anti-German alliance with the [[Pataria]] movement in northern Italy and, above all, in the introduction of an ecclesiastic law which gave the cardinals exclusive rights concerning the election of a new pope.<ref>{{cite book|author=Arnold Harris Mathew D.D.|title=the Life and Times of Hildebrand|year=1910|publisher=London: Francis Griffiths|page=20|chapter=Early life of Hildebrand}}</ref>