Editing Pope Damasus II (section)

== Imperial nomination of Poppo==

Henry III in 1046 had displayed his imperial power by intervening against [[Pope Gregory VI]] and installing [[Clement II]],<ref>Gregorovius, pp. 54–57.</ref> The Roman ''plebs'', acknowledging that power, sent an embassy to the emperor, which found Henry, who had been engaged in an indecisive campaign in [[Frisia]], in his palace at [[Pöhlde]] in [[Saxony]] shortly before [[Christmas Day]] of 1047.<ref>{{cite book|author=Ernst Steindorff|title=Jahrbücher des deutschen Reichs unter Heinrich III|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-zcOAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA29|volume=Zweiter Band|year=1881|publisher=Duncker & Humblot|location=Leipzig|language=German, Latin|page=29}}</ref> They notified the emperor of Clement's death and asked him, in his capacity as [[Patrician (post-Roman Europe)|patricius]] of the Romans, to appoint a successor.<ref>Mann, p. 286. "[[Annales Romani]]", p. 469: "tunc Romanorum plebs in unum collecta, ad regem Heinricum legatos cum litteris miserunt, precantes et obsecrantes, ut servi dominum et ut filii patrem, ut eis dirigeret pudicum benignum ornatum bonis moribus cancte Romane ecclesie et universo orbi pastorem."</ref> The envoys, following their instructions, suggested as a suitable candidate [[Halinard]], [[Archbishop of Lyon]], who was a fluent speaker of Italian, and was well respected in Rome.<ref name=Oestereich>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04614a.htm Thomas Oestereich, "Pope Damasus II." ''The Catholic Encyclopedia''] Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. 26 September 2017.</ref>

Henry was unwilling to rush matters, and so asked [[Wazo]] of [[Liège]], the most independent bishop within the empire, who ought to be made pope. After careful consideration, Wazo declared that the most appropriate candidate for the vacant papal throne was the man the emperor had removed – Gregory VI. Wazo's deliberations had taken time, and Henry soon lost patience. Henry instead appointed Poppo, [[bishop of Brixen]] in [[German Tyrol|Tyrol]], a proud man of distinguished learning<ref name="Mann, pg 288">Mann, p. 288</ref> who had taken part in the [[Synod of Sutri]]. This decision antagonized the Romans, who were still pushing for Halinard to become the new pope. Nevertheless, Henry sent the Roman envoys back to Rome with presents to prepare for the arrival of their new pope.<ref>Mann, pp. 287–288. "Annales Romani", p. 469: "Legati itaque Romanorum cum pervenissent ad regem, magno cum honore in palatio suscepit suo, eosque magnis ditavit muneribus.... Legati itaque Romanorum antecedentes Damassum pontificem, Romam reversi sunt...."</ref>