Editing Pope Stephen III (section)

===Fall of Christophorus and Sergius===
Throughout 769 and 770, Stephen continued to rely on the support and advice of Christophorus and Sergius who had placed him on the papal throne. Their antipathy towards the Lombards and general pro-Frankish stance caused King Desiderius to engineer their downfall.<ref name="m383">Mann, pg. 383</ref><ref>DeCormenin, pg. 200</ref> He bribed the [[Papal Gentlemen|Papal Chamberlain]], Paulus Afiarta, and other members of the papal court to spread rumors about them to the pope.<ref name="m383"/> When Desiderius attempted to enter Rome in 771 with an army, claiming to be on a [[pilgrimage]] to pray at the shrine of St. Peter, Christophorus and Sergius shut the gates of the city against them. Arriving at the gates and seeing armed troops manning the walls, the Lombard king asked to speak to the Pope, who came out to him. During Stephen's absence, Afiarta and his supporters sought to stir up a mob to overthrow Christophorus and Sergius. But the [[Primicerius]] and his son gained the upper hand, and forced Afiarta and his colleagues to flee to the [[Lateran Palace]].<ref>Mann, pgs. 383–384</ref>

By this stage, Stephen had returned to the Lateran, and he was confronted in the Basilica of St. Theodore by the fleeing Afiarta and his co-conspirators being chased by Christophorus and his supporters.<ref name="m384">Mann, pg. 384</ref> Apparently at this point, a suspicious Christophorus, believing that Stephen had entered into some agreement with Desiderius, forced Stephen into taking an oath that he would not turn Christophorus or his son over to the Lombards. After this, a furious Stephen berated Christophorus, demanded he stop harassing Afiarta, and ordered him and his followers to withdraw, to which Christophorus complied.<ref name="m384"/> The next day, Stephen fled to [[St. Peter's Basilica]] to seek the protection of Desiderius.<ref>Partner, pg. 28</ref> The Lombard king, shutting Stephen up in his suites in the Basilica, made it clear to the Pope that the price for his help was to be the handing over of Christophorus and Sergius.<ref>Mann, pgs. 384–385</ref> The Pope sent two bishops to negotiate with Christophorus and Sergius, telling them that they must either retire to a monastery or come out to him at St. Peter's. At the same time, a message was sent from Desiderius to the people of the city, declaring that: "Pope Stephen bids you not to fight against your brethren, but to expel Christophorus from the city, and save it, yourselves, and your children."<ref>Mann, pg. 385</ref>

This message from the Lombard king had the desired effect; Christophorus and Sergius began to suspect their associates, who in turn rapidly abandoned them. Both were reluctant to leave the city, but eventually both made their way to the Pope during the night.<ref name="m386">Mann, pg. 386</ref> The next day Stephen was allowed to return to the city, while Christophorus and Sergius were left in Lombard hands. Negotiations to secure their release were unsuccessful, and before the day was out, Afiarta arrived with his partisans. After discussing the situation with Desiderius, they had both men blinded. Christophorus died after three days, while Sergius was kept in a cell in the Lateran.<ref name="m386"/>

In an attempt to forestall the potential intervention of Charlemagne, Desiderius had Stephen write a letter to the Frankish king<ref>Mann, pg. 388</ref> wherein he declared that Christophorus and Sergius had been involved in a plot with an envoy of Charlemagne's brother, Carloman, to kill the Pope. Further, that Stephen had fled to Desiderius for protection, and that eventually Christophorus and Sergius were brought out against their will. While Stephen managed to save their lives, later a group of men had them blinded, but not on Stephen's orders. He then concludes that if it wasn't for "his most excellent son Desiderius", he would have been in fatal danger, and that Desiderius had reached an agreement with him to restore to the Church all the lands that she had claims on that were still in Lombard hands.<ref>Mann, pg. 387</ref>

That such a letter was a fiction was demonstrated very soon after; when Stephen asked Desiderius to fulfil the promises he had made over the body of [[Saint Peter]], the Lombard king responded: "Be content that I removed Christophorus and Sergius, who were ruling you, out of your way, and ask not for rights. Besides, if I do not continue to help you, great trouble will befall you. For Carloman, king of the Franks, is the friend of Christophorus and Sergius, and will be wishful to come to Rome and seize you."<ref>Mann, pg. 389</ref>