850-869 Pope Leo IV Fortifies Rome, Papacy Loses Bulgaria

This twenty year period covers the reign of the West Saxon King of the English, Ethelwulf (pictured) who died in 858 and was succeeded by Ethelbald (d. 860), Ethelbert (d. 865) and then Ethelred I who ruled from 865-871.

In Rome, Leo IV was pope until 855 and was busy repelling the Muslim Saracens by fortifying Rome. His successor, Benedict III, had to deal with an anti-pope, and the following pope, Nicholas I, had to deal with clashes with the archbishops of Ravenna and Rheims who had the imperial support of Lothair, the western emperor.

Pope Nicholas I also refused to accept the appointment of Photius as patriarch of Constantinople.

In 867, Hadrian III succeeded Nicholas I as pope but was not as strong.

Hadrian III lost the papacy's control of Bulgaria when it switched allegiance to Constantinople. 

810-829 Emperor Louis the Pious Exacts Papal Loyalty

This twenty year period covers the last years of the reign of Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne who was succeeded in 814 by a Frank, Louis the Pious (pictured), and anointed by Pope Stephen V.

The West Saxon King Egbert held sway over most of England for this period.

Paschal I became the next Pope and ruled from 817-824. Particular tension existed between Paschal and the Emperor Louis' eldest son, Lothair, who believed the Pope was too big for his boots.

Emperor Louis the Pious continued to exert Frankish control over the papacy, requiring the pope-elect to swear an oath of loyalty to the emperor.

This was agreed to by Eugene II -- who was Pope from 824-827 -- and following popes.

Pope Valentine came to power in 827, quickly followed by Pope Gregory IV (827-844) who, despite his oath, intrigued with Louis' eldest son Lothair against the Emperor and the younger brothers Pepin and Louis the German.

In other parts of the world, by 810 the Hindu civilization -- related to the ancient Indic civilization -- was flourishing.