Pope Leo III rose from lower classes and was attacked in St. Peter's Cathedral in 799 AD by members of his predecessor's family who tried to blind and mute him. He escaped and fled to Charlemagne, later crowning Charlemagne as the first Holy Roman Emperor in 800 AD. Pope Nicholas V had Rome's streets and aqueducts restored along with rebuilding the Vatican, Borgo district, and St. Peter's Basilica while also reinforcing the city's fortifications. He founded a library of 9,000 volumes. Pope Pius III commissioned a library as a cardinal to house texts by his uncle Pope Pius II, though the books never arrived; he died after just 26 days as

1. POPES AND THEIR ROLES IN HISTROYPEOPLES AND EMPIRES

2. POPE LEO iiiPAPACY: DECEMBER 27, 795 – JUNE 12, 816The 97th Roman Catholic Pope.

3. Rose from the lower classes, because of this, the aristocrats who formed the bulk of the Vatican hierarchy resented him.

4. Was attacked in St.Peter’s Cathedral in 799 A.D. by member’s of his predecessor’s family. They attempted to cut out his tongue and gouge out his eyes. He escaped and fled to Charlemange.