10 February 1045 A.D. Sylvester III Dies—Rome’s 146th; “Another” Anti-Pope; Deposed with Dualing Factions
10 February 1045 A.D. Sylvester III Dies—Rome’s 146 th ; “Another” Anti-Pope; Deposed with Dualing Factions Editors. “Sylvester III.” Encyclopedia Britannica. N.d. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/577638/Sylvester-III . Accessed 1 Sept 2014. Sylvester III , also spelled Silvester, original name John of Sabina , Italian Giovanni di Sabina (born , Rome , Papal States [Italy]—died c. 1063), pope from January 20 to February 10, 1045. He was bishop of Sabina when elected pope in January 1045 by a faction that had driven Pope Benedict IX out of Rome. The following month, however, Benedict’s supporters in turn expelled Sylvester. Mired in scandal, Benedict felt so uncertain about his position in Rome that he resigned the papacy in favour of his godfather, the archpriest John Gratian, a figure of high moral standing. The new pope, Gregory VI , was consecrated in May 1045. After receiving a payment from ei...