Pope Formosus

Pope Formosus
Bishop of Rome
1493 drawing of Pope Formosus by Bartolomeo Sacchi
Church	Catholic Church
Papacy began	6 October 891
Papacy ended	4 April 896
Predecessor	Stephen V
Successor	Boniface VI
Personal details
Born	c. 816 Rome, Papal States
Died	4 April 896 (aged c. 80) Rome, Papal States

Pope Formosus (c. 816 – 896) was the pope and ruler of the Papal States from 6 October 891 until his death on 4 April 896. His reign as Pope was troubled, marked by interventions in power struggles over the Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Kingdom of West Francia, and the Holy Roman Empire. Because he sided with Arnulf of Carinthia against Lambert of Spoleto, Formosus's remains were exhumed and put on trial in the Cadaver Synod. Several of his immediate successors were primarily preoccupied by the controversial legacy of his pontificate.