The Roman Senate, which had practically taken…

The Roman Senate, which had practically taken all temporal power from the Pope during the pontificate of Innocent II and which had been dissolved by Lucius II, has been resurrected, encouraged by Lucius’s defeat at the hands of Roger II of Sicily.

Pierleoni makes overtures of negotiations to Lucius—demanding the pope renounce secular authority and live as a common priest before being allowed reentry into the city.

The Pope, having called unsuccessfully for the help of Emperor Conrad III against the Senate and Pierleoni, finally marches against them with a small army.

This fight is lost also by Lucius, who, according to Godfrey of Viterbo, is seriously injured during this battle (by a thrown stone) and dies a few days later from his injuries on February 15, 1145.

His successor, a Pisan native named Bernardo dei Paganelli di Montemagno, a Cistercian monk and abbot at a monastery just outside Rome, assumes the papacy as Eugene III.

He owes his elevation partly to the fact that none are eager to accept an office the duties of which are at this time so difficult and dangerous, but chiefly to his being the friend and pupil of Bernard of Clairvaux, the most influential ecclesiastic of the Western Church, and a strong assertor of the pope's temporal authority.

The choice has not, however, the approval of Bernard, who remonstrates against the election on account of the "innocence and simplicity" of Eugene; but after the choice is made he takes advantage of the qualities in Eugene that he objects to, so as to virtually rule in his name.

The Pope has meanwhile appealed for help to Tivoli, and other cities at feud with Rome, and to Roger II of Sicily (who sends his general Robert of Selby), and with their aid is successful in making such conditions with the Roman citizens as enable him to hold the semblance of authority in his capital.