Editing Pope Leo III (section)

==Rise==
According to the ''[[Liber Pontificalis]]'', Leo was "of the [[Roman people|Roman nation]], the son of Atzuppius" (''natione romanus ex patre Atzuppio''). The ''[[Chronicon Anianense]]'' says, more specifically, that he was "born in Rome to Asupius and Elizabeth" (''natus rome ex patre asupio matre helisabeth'').<ref>Philipp Winterhager, [https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110678932 ''Migranten und Stadtgesellschaft im frühmittelalterlichen Rom: Griechischsprachige Einwanderer und ihre Nachkommen im diachronen Vergleich''] (De Gruyter, 2020), p. 261.</ref> Usually considered to be of [[Greeks|Greek]] origin, his father's name may suggest an [[Arab]] background.<ref name=TFXN>T. F. X. Noble (1985), The Declining Knowledge of Greek in Eighth- and Ninth-Century Papal Rome", ''Byzantinische Zeitschrift'', '''78'''(1): 59. {{doi|10.1515/byzs.1985.78.1.56}}</ref><ref>Hans-Georg Beck, "Die Herkunft des Papstes Leo III", ''Frühmittelalterliche Studien: Jahrbuch des Instituts fur Frühmittelalterforschung der Universität Münster'', '''3''' (1969): 131–137.</ref> An earlier person of the same name or nickname, Atzypios, was an [[Byzantine iconoclasm|iconoclast]] adversary of [[John of Damascus]].<ref>[[John R. Martindale]] (ed.), ''[[Prosopography of the Byzantine Empire]]'', Vol. 1 (641–867) (Online ed., 2014), s.v. [http://www.pbe.kcl.ac.uk/data/D15/F74.htm Atzuppius 1] (which presumes that Leo III's father was also a native of Rome) and [http://www.pbe.kcl.ac.uk/data/D15/F75.htm Atzypios 1].</ref>

Leo seems to have known Greek.<ref name=TFXN/> He was made [[cardinal-priest of Santa Susanna]] by [[Pope Adrian I]], and seemingly also [[vestiarius]], or chief of the pontifical treasury, or wardrobe.<ref name=mann/><ref name="Miranda">{{Cite web |url=https://webdept.fiu.edu/~mirandas/biosunknowndate772-795.htm |title=Leone (?–816) |last=Miranda |first=Salvador |website=The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church – Biographical Dictionary |publisher=[[Florida International University]] |access-date=2018-04-24 |archive-date=25 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180425114536/https://webdept.fiu.edu/~mirandas/biosunknowndate772-795.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

He was [[Papal selection before 1059|elected]] on 26 December 795, the day Adrian I was buried, and [[episcopal consecration|consecrated]] on the following day. It is quite possible that this haste may have been due to a desire on the part of the Romans to prevent any interference by the [[Franks]]. With the letter informing the Frankish ruler [[Charlemagne]] that he had been unanimously elected [[Pope]], Leo sent him the keys of the confession of St. Peter, and the standard of the city, and requested an envoy. This he did to show that he regarded the Frankish king as the protector of the Holy See.<ref name=mann>{{Catholic Encyclopedia|prescript=|wstitle=Pope St. Leo III|first=Horace Kinder |last=Mann |volume=9}}</ref> In return, Charlemagne sent letters of congratulation and a great part of the treasure which the king had captured from the Avars.<ref name=shahan/>