LOMB 
emperor as an heretic, Submitted to Luitprand king of 
the Lombards; who, pretending a zeal for the catholic re¬ 
ligion, took care to improve the difcontent of the people 
to his advantage, by reprefen ting to them, that they could 
never maintain their religious rights under a prince, who 
was not only an heretic, hut a persecutor of the orthodox. 
In Naples, Exhilaratus, duke of that city, having re¬ 
ceived peremptory orders from the emperor to caule his 
edi£t to be put in execution, did all-that lay in his power 
to perfuade the people to receive it; but finding all his 
endeavours thwarted by the bifliop of Rome, for whom 
the Neapolitans had a great veneration, he hired aflaflins 
to murder him. But the plot being difcoyered, though 
carried on with great Secrecy, the Neapolitans, highly 
provoked again!f the duke, tore both him and his fon to 
pieces, and likewife put to death one of his chief officers, 
who had compofed a libel againlt the pope. Luitprand, 
and Gregory at that time duke of Bcnevento, laying hold 
of fo favourable an opportunity to make themfel.ves maf- 
ters of the dukedom of Naples, made joint endeavours 
to induce the Neapolitans quietly to Submit to them. 
But the Neapolitans, bearing an irreconcilable hatred to 
the Lombards, with whom they had been confiantly at 
variance, rejected every overture of that nature with the 
xitmofl indignation; and, continuing ftedfaft in their al¬ 
legiance to Leo, received from Conftantinople-one Peter, 
who was lent to govern them in the room of Exhilaratus. 
Some writers fuppofe the Neapolitans, in this general re¬ 
volt of the cities of. Italy, to have fliaken off the yoke 
with the reft, and to have appointed magiftrates of their 
own election to govern them, in the room of the officers 
hitherto fent from Conftantinople, or named by tire ex- 
arcb; but they are certainly mistaken; it being manifeft 
from hiliory that Peter fucceeded Exhilaratus in that 
dukedom, and that the Neapolitans continued to live un¬ 
der the emperors, till they were conquered many years af¬ 
ter by the Normans. 
In the mean time, Leo, hearing of the murder of the 
exarch, and the general revolt of the cities, and not doubt¬ 
ing but the pope was the chief author of fo much mifehief, 
fent the eunuch Eutychius into Italy, with the title and 
authority of exarch, ltridtly enjoining him to get the pope 
difpatched by fome means or other, fince his death was 
absolutely neceflary for the tranquillity of Italy. The 
exarch Spared no pains to get the pope into his power ; 
but a meflenger, whom he had fent to Rome, being ap¬ 
prehended by the citizens, and an order from the emperor 
being found upon him to all his officers in that city, 
commanding them to put the pope to death at all events, 
the pope’s friends thenceforth guarded him with fuch 
care, that the exarch’s emiffaries could never find an 
opportunity of executing their defig.n. As for the mef- 
fenger, the Romans were for putting him to death; but 
the pope interpofed, contenting.Iiimfelf with excommuni¬ 
cating the exarch. 
And now the Romans, provoked more than ever againft 
Leo, and, on the other hand, unwilling to live uilder the 
Lombards, refolved to revolt from the emperor, and ap¬ 
point their own magiftrates, keeping themfelves united 
under the pope, yet not as their prince, but only as their 
head. This they did accordingly; and from thefe (lender 
beginnings the Sovereignty of the popes in Italy took its 
rife, though they did not then, as is-commpnly fuppofed 
by hiftorians, but many years after, become fovereigrt 
lords of Rome. 
Eutychius failed in his defign upon the life of the pope; 
but, having brought with him from Conftantinople a good 
number of troops, he eafily quelled the rebellion in Ra¬ 
venna, and feverely puniflted the authors of the late dif- 
turbances. As for the rebellious Romans, he was well 
apprifed he could never reduce them, fo long as they were 
Supported by the king of the Lombards; and therefore he 
employed all his art and policy to take off that prince 
from the party of the Romans, and bring him over to his 
own. Luitprand, for fome time, withstood' all his offers; 
Vol.XIII. No. 826 . 
ARDS. 45 
but, Thrafimund duke of Spoleto revolting at this very 
juncture, the exarch, laying hold of that opportunity, 
offered to a IE ft the king with all his ftrength againlt the 
rebellious duke, provided he would, in like manner, aftilfc 
him againft the pope and the Romans. With this propo¬ 
s'd Luitprand readily clofed; and, a league being con¬ 
cluded upon thefe terms between him and the exarch, 
the two armies joined, and began their march towards 
Spoieto. At their approach, the duke, defpairing of be¬ 
ing able to refill two fuch powers, came out with a Small 
attendance to meet them, and, throwing himfelf at the 
king's feet, Sued, in that humble pofture, for pardon ; 
whkh Luitprand not only granted him, but confirmed 
him in the dukedom, after he had obliged him to take a 
new c .nh of allegiance, and give hoftages for his fidelity 
in time to come. From Spoleto, "the two armies marched, 
in p" nance or the treaty, to Rome; and encamped in 
the m. < lows of Nero, between the Tiber and the Vatican. 
Gi y had caufed the city of Rome to be fortified in 
the 1 manner he could; but, being fenfible that the 
Rom tr.s done could not long hold out againft two fuch 
armies, . ■ reflecting on the kind treatment the duke of 
Spoleto nsd met with upon his fubmitting to the king, 
he refolved . > follow his example ; and accordingly, tak¬ 
ing.with him fome of the clergy, and the principal inha¬ 
bitants of the city, he went to wait on the king iii his 
catnp; and there, with a pathetic Speech, as he was a great 
matter of eloquence, Softened Luitprand to Such a degree, 
that, throwing himfelf at his feet in the prefence of the 
whole army, he begged pardon for entering into an alli¬ 
ance againft him; and, alluring him of his protection for 
the future, he went with them to the church of St. Pe¬ 
ter; and there, difarming himfelf in the prefence of his 
chief officers, he laid his girdle, his fword, and his gaunt¬ 
let, with his royal mantle, his crown of gold, and crofs 
of filver, on the apoftle’s Sepulchre. After this, he re¬ 
conciled the pope with the exarch, who was thereupon 
received into the city, where he continued for Some time, 
maintaining a friendly conefpondece with the pope. At 
this time an impoftor, taking the name .of Tiberius, and 
pretending to be defeended from the emperors, (educed a 
great many people in Tufcany, and was by them pro¬ 
claimed emperor. The exarch refolved to march againft 
him; but, as he had not Sufficient forces to oppofe the re¬ 
bels, Gregory, who let no opportunity flip of obliging Leo, 
perfuaded the Romans to attend the exarch in this expe¬ 
dition; by which means the ufurper being taken in a caf- 
tle, his head was fent to the emperor, and the rebellion 
utterly fupprefled. 
Luitprand died in the year 743. He was fucceeded 
by Hildebrand, his grandfon, who reigned only Seven 
months; and from him the feeptre palled to Rachis duke 
of Friuli, who reigned in peace about as many years; but 
his fucceffor A.ftoTphus declared himfelf the equal enemy 
of the emperor and the pope. Ravenna was.again Subdued 
by force on treachery ; and this final conqueft (A. D. 752.) 
extinguifhed the feries of the exarchs, who. had reigned 
with a Subordinate power fince the time of JuftinWand 
the ruin of the Gothic kingdom. Rome was next fum- 
rnoned to acknowledge the victorious Lombard as her law¬ 
ful Sovereign; the annual tribute of a piece of gold was 
fixed as the ranfom of each citizen, and the fword of de- 
ltruetion was unfheathed to exact the penalty of her difo- 
bedience. The Romans hefitated; they entreated; they 
complained ; and the threatening barbarians were checked 
by arms and negociations, till the popes had engaged the 
friendfhip of an ally and avenger beyond the Alps. 
In his diftrefs, Gregory III. had implored the aid of 
the hero of the age, of Charles Martel, who governed the 
French monarchy with the humble title of mayor or duke'; 
and who, by his Signal victory over the Saracens, had Saved 
his country, and perhaps Europe, from the Mahometan 
yoke. The ambafladors of the pope were received by 
Charles with decent reverence; but the greatneis of his 
occupations, and the ftiortnefs of his life, prevented his 
N interference 
