German-born Pope who forced King Fernando to swear allegiance to Henry, the Holy Roman Emperor.
1018 - 28 July 1057. Born Gebhard, in Bavaria or Swabia, the son of German nobility. He was made a bishop by the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry III, at age 24. He proved very able and by 1052 was Henry's most influential advisor. He was made Pope on 13 April 1055. On 4 June 1055 he held a major synod in Florence, attended by Henry and 120 bishops, at which he threatened King Ferdinand of Spain with excommunication if he refused to swear allegiance to Henry. Ferdinand submitted. During a visit to Germany to consult with Henry, the emperor died on 5 October 1056. Victor stayed to arrange the sure succession of six-year-old Henry IV before returning to Rome in February 1057. He died in Italy on later the same year.
In those days Pope Victor II held a council at Florence, and the Emperor Henry there made his complaint against King Don Ferrando, that he did not acknowledge his sovereignty, and pay him tribute like all other Kings; and he besought the Pope to admonish him so to do.
And the Pope being a German, and the friend of Henry, sent to the King to admonish him, and told him that unless he obeyed he would proclaim a crusade against him; and in like manner the Emperor, and the King of France, and the other Kings, sent to exhort him to obedience, defying him if he should refuse.
They seeing on the one hand the great power of the Church, and on the other the great evil that it would be if Castille and Leon should be made tributary, knew not what counsel to give; howbeit at length they said to him that he should do the Pope's bidding.
When the Cid heard what had passed it grieved him to the heart, more for the counsel which had been given to the King, than because of the Pope's commands; and he turned to the King and said, In an ill day, Sir, were you born in Spain, if it be in your time to be made tributary, which it never was before; for all the honour which God hath given you, and whatever good he hath done to you, is lost if it should be so.
Then the King ordered letters to be written, in which he besought the Pope not to proceed farther against him without just cause, for Spain had been conquered by those who dwelt therein, by the blood of them and of their fathers, and they had never been tributary, and never would be so, but would rather all die.
So the news went sounding before them to the council, of the fierceness of the Cid; and as they all knew that he was the conqueror of battles, they knew not what to advise; and they besought the Pope that he would send to them, begging them to turn back, and saying that they did not require tribute.
These letters came to the King when he had past Tolosa, and he took counsel with the Cid and with his good men, and they advised that he should send two of his good men to the Pope, who should tell him to send a Cardinal with power to make a covenant, that this demand should never again be made upon Spain; and that persons from the Emperor and from the other Kings also should come to ratify this, and meanwhile he would abide where he was.
And when they came to the Pope and gave him their letters, he was much dismayed, and he assembled the good and honourable men of the council, and asked of them what he should do.
And the Pope sent Master Roberto, the Cardinal of St. Sabina, with full powers, and the representatives of the Emperor and of the other Kings came also and signed the covenant, that this demand should never again be made upon the King of Spain.
And the writings which they made were confirmed by the Pope and by the Emperor and the other Kings, and sealed with their seals.
And the Pope sent to ask of him the daughter of Count Remon; and she was then five months gone with child; and by the advice of his vassal the Cid the King sent her, and sent to tell the Pope the whole truth, requesting that he would see she was taken care of; and the Pope ordered that she should be taken care of till the event should be.
And she was delivered of the Abbot Don Ferrando; the Pope was his godfather, and brought him up right honourably, and dispensed with his bastardy that he might hold any sacred dignity; and in process of time he was made an honourable Cardinal.