1059

Political Events

The Byzantine emperor Isaac I Comnenus abdicates in favor of a high financial officer, who begins an 8-year reign as Constantine X (Dukas). The new emperor will neglect and antagonize the army by giving more authority to the civil service, the Church, and the scholars.

Religion

The antipope Benedict X is ousted in January through the efforts of the monk Hildebrand and imprisoned in the monastery of Sant' Agnese, where he will remain until his death in about 1080. The new pope Nicholas II decrees papal election by cardinals only and establishes an electoral body that will later become the Sacred College of Cardinals. The Treaty of Melfi in August cements relations between the papacy and Robert Guiscard, who promises fidelity to the Church; he is recognized as duke of Apulia and of Sicily, although the latter is occupied by Saracens.

Pope Nicholas II convenes a Second Lateran Council at which he sanctions the marriage in 1051 of William, duke of Normandy, with Matilda of Flanders, allegedly on condition that each endow a monastic house at Caen.

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