Rome 903/904: Christopher threw Pope Leo V into prison, Sergius III overthrew both; according to the Britannica he had them strangled

What happened to the people

How were they charged and sentenced?

1. Leo V had been in office for somewhat over a month in 903 when the cardinal priest Christopher of St. Damasus had him seized and cast into prison. Christopher placed himself in the chair of Peter, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia seemingly about October 903 and in a wholly uncanonical manner.
   Evidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 9 (1910), Artikel Pope Leo V

   „After a pontificate of somewhat over a month he was seized by Christopher, Cardinal-Priest of St. Damasus, and cast into prison .“

   Evidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 3 (1908), Artikel Pope Christopher

   „He became pope by forcibly dethroning his predecessor, Leo V , and putting him into prison , seemingly about October 903.“

   Evidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 3 (1908), Artikel Pope Christopher

   „though his manner of taking possession of the papacy was wholly uncanonical“

What happened to those affected?

1. Sergius III was consecrated on 29 January 904. According to the Britannica he seized the two claimants Leo V and Christopher and had them strangled. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, this is claimed only by Eugenius Vulgarius, an opponent of Sergius; it considers it more likely that Leo died a natural death in prison or in a monastery and that Christopher ended his days as a monk, and calls the murder charge highly doubtful.
   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Artikel Sergius, Abschnitt Sergius III.

   „seized the two claimants, Leo V. and Christopher, who were disputing the succession of Benedict IV., and had them strangled“

   Evidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 13 (1912), Artikel Pope Sergius III

   „consecrated 29 Jan., 904“

   Evidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 3 (1908), Artikel Pope Christopher

   „One writer, indeed, Eugenius Vulgarius, who was interested in blackening the character of Sergius III , pretends that he murdered both Leo V and Christopher.“

   Evidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 9 (1910), Artikel Pope Leo V

   „However, it seems more likely that Leo died a natural death in prison or in a monastery .“

   Evidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 3 (1908), Artikel Pope Christopher

   „compelled to end his days as a monk (Chronicle of Hermannus Contractus, ad an. 904), though Vulgarius says he was strangled in prison“

   Evidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 13 (1912), Artikel Pope Sergius III

   „but that he put his two predecessors to death, and by illicit relations with Marozia had a son, who was afterwards John XI , must be regarded as highly doubtful“

2. Sergius at once declared the ordinations conferred by Formosus null. According to the Britannica, he refused to recognise any of the ordinations celebrated by Formosus, thus causing grave disorders; he also affected to consider John IX and his successors down to Christopher as antipopes.
   Evidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 13 (1912), Artikel Pope Sergius III

   „Sergius at once declared the ordinations conferred by Formosus null“

   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Artikel Sergius, Abschnitt Sergius III.

   „refused to recognize any of the ordinations celebrated by him, thus causing grave disorders“

   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Artikel Sergius, Abschnitt Sergius III.

   „He also affected to consider as anti-popes, not only John IX., but also his successors down to and including Christopher.“