Leo having been cowed by Otto, the…
March 965 CE
Leo having been cowed by Otto, the remainder of his pontificate is reasonably trouble free.
He issues numerous bulls, many of which detail the granting of privileges to Otto and his successors.
Some of the bulls are alleged to grant the German emperors the right of choosing their successors in the Kingdom of Italy, the right to nominate the Pope, and all popes, archbishops and bishops were to receive investiture from the emperor.
In addition, Leo is also claimed to have relinquished to Otto all the territory of the Papal States that had been granted to the Apostolic See by Pepin the Short and Charlemagne.
Although it is certain that Leo granted various concessions to his imperial patron, it is now believed that the “investiture” bulls associated with Leo, if not completely fabricated during the Investiture Controversy, were at the very least so tampered with that it is now largely impossible to reconstruct them in their original form.
Leo VIII dies on March 1, 965.
According to the Liber Pontificalis, he is described as venerable, energetic and honorable.
He has a number of streets dedicated to him in and around the Clivus Argentarius, including the descensus Leonis Prothi.