Editing Pope Gregory II (section)

==Conflict with Emperor Leo III==
[[File:Solidus-Leo III.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Byzantine Emperor Leo III who sought to impose iconoclastic doctrines in the west]]
Tensions between Gregory and the imperial court began around 722 when emperor [[Leo III the Isaurian|Leo III]] attempted to raise taxes on the papal patrimonies in Italy, draining the Papacy’s monetary reserves. Leo required this revenue to pay for the ongoing [[Byzantine–Arab Wars|Arab war]], while Gregory needed it to provide local foodstuffs for the city of Rome, thereby relieving Rome on its reliance upon the long-distance supply of grain.<ref>Treadgold, pg. 350; Ekonomou, pg. 275</ref> The result of which was, through refusing to pay the additional taxes, Gregory encouraged the Roman populace to drive the imperial governor of Rome from the city, and Leo was unable to impose his will upon Rome, as Lombard pressure kept the exarch of Ravenna from fielding an army to bring the pope to heel.<ref>Treadgold, pg. 350; Bury, pgs. 440–441; Mann, pg. 185</ref>

However, in 725, possibly at the emperor’s request, Marinus, who had been sent from [[Constantinople]] to govern the [[Duchy of Rome]], encouraged a conspiracy to murder the pope. Involving a [[Duke (Lombard)|duke]] named Basil, the [[Chartoularios]] Jordanes, and a [[subdeacon]] named Laurion, the departure of Marinus paused the plot, only to see it resume with the arrival of the new exarch, [[Paul (exarch)|Paul]]. However, the plot was uncovered, and the conspirators were put to death.<ref>Levillain, pg. 642; Mann, pg. 184</ref>

Then in 726, Leo issued an [[iconoclasm|iconoclast]] edict, condemning possession of any [[icon]] of the saints.<ref>Treadgold, pg. 352</ref> Although Leo made no move to enforce this edict in the west beyond having it read in Rome and Ravenna, Gregory immediately rejected the edict.<ref>Treadgold, pg. 352; Mann, pg. 186</ref> Upon hearing this, the [[Exarchate of Ravenna]] rose in revolt against the imperial imposition of [[iconoclasm]]. The armies of [[Ravenna]] and the Duchy of the Pentapolis mutinied, denouncing both Exarch Paul and Leo III, and overthrew those officers who remained loyal. Paul rallied the loyalist forces and attempted to restore order, but was killed. The armies discussed electing their own emperor and marching on [[Constantinople]], but were dissuaded by Pope Gregory from acting against Leo.<ref>Treadgold, pg. 352; Mann, pg. 186; Bury, pg. 441</ref> At the same time, the self-described “duke” Exhilaratus and his son Hadrian rebelled in [[Duchy of Naples|Naples]], sided with the emperor and marched on Rome in order to kill Gregory, but were overthrown by the people and killed.<ref>Mann, pg. 186</ref>

In 727, Gregory summoned a synod to condemn iconoclasm.<ref>Mann, pg. 188</ref> According to Greek sources, principally [[Theophanes the Confessor|Theophanes]], it was at this point that Gregory [[excommunicated]] Leo. However, no western source, in particular, the ''[[Liber Pontificalis]]'', confirms this act by Gregory.<ref>Mann, pgs. 199–200</ref> He then dispatched two letters to Leo, denying the Imperial right to interfere in matters of doctrine. He wrote:
<blockquote>"You say: ‘We worship stones and walls and boards.’ But it is not so, O Emperor; but they serve us for remembrance and encouragement, lifting our slow spirits upwards, by those whose names the pictures bear and whose representations they are. And we worship them not as God, as you maintain, God forbid!... Even the little children mock at you. Go into one of their schools, say that you are the enemy of images, and straightway they will throw their little tablets at your head, and what you have failed to learn from the wise you may pick up from the foolish... In virtue of the power which has come down to us from St. Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, we might inflict punishment upon you, but since you have invoked one on yourself, have that, you and the counselors you have chosen... though you have so excellent a high priest, our brother Germanus, whom you ought to have taken into your counsels as father and teacher. . . . The dogmas of the Church are not a matter for the emperor, but for the bishops."<ref>Mann, pgs. 191–192</ref></blockquote> Gregory's letters to Leo have been accused of being apocryphal,<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Gero|first=Stephen|title=Notes on Byzantine Iconoclasm in the Eighth Century|date=1974|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44170426|journal=Byzantion|volume=44|issue=1|pages=23–42|jstor=44170426}}</ref> and may not accurately reflect the real content of Gregory's correspondence with Leo.

In 728, Leo sent to Italy a new exarch, [[Eutychius (exarch)|Eutychius]], to try to retrieve the situation.<ref>Treadgold, pg. 353</ref> Eutychius sent an emissary to Rome, with instructions to kill Gregory and the chief nobility in the city, but the plot was uncovered and foiled. Next, he attempted to turn the Lombard king and dukes against the pope, but they retained their ambivalent stance, not committing one way or the other.<ref>Mann, pgs. 194–195</ref> That same year Gregory wrote to [[Patriarch Germanus I of Constantinople]], giving the patriarch his support, and when Germanus abdicated, Gregory refused to acknowledge the new patriarch, [[Patriarch Anastasius of Constantinople|Anastasius]], nor the iconoclast rulings of a council summoned by Leo.<ref>Treadgold, pgs. 353–354; Levillain, pg. 643</ref>

In 729, Eutychius finally managed to bring about an alliance with the Lombard king, Liutprand, and both agreed to help the other deal with their rebellious subjects. After they had subjugated the dukes of Spoleto and Benevento, bringing them under Liutprand’s authority, they turned to Rome with the intent of bringing Gregory to heel.<ref>Bury, pgs. 444–445; Mann, pgs. 197–198</ref> However, outside Rome, Gregory managed to break up the alliance against him, with Liutprand returning to [[Pavia]]. After this, Eutychius reached an uneasy truce with Gregory, and the pope in return forged a temporary truce between the Lombards and the Byzantines.<ref>Mann, pg. 198; Bury, pg. 445</ref> Regardless, Gregory was still a devoted and vigorous defender of the empire. This was demonstrated in 730 when there arose another usurper, [[Tiberius Petasius]], who raised a revolt in [[Tuscany]]. He was defeated by the exarch Eutychius, who received steady support from Pope Gregory.<ref>Mann, pg. 198</ref>

Gregory died on 11 February 731, and was buried in [[St. Peter’s Basilica]]. The location of his tomb has since been lost. He was subsequently [[canonized]] and is commemorated as a saint in the Roman calendar and martyrology on 13 February, although some martyrologies list him under 11 February.<ref>Mann, pgs. 200–202</ref>