Eugenius III (died 1152)

Pope, 1145-53. He was a Cistercian monk and disciple of St Bernard, who addressed to him the ‘De Consideratione’ (c. 1148) as well as several letters. Opposition from republican elements hostile to the temporal power twice obliged him to flee from Rome. It was during his second exile (1147-52), due to the intrigues of Arnold of Brescia, that Eugenius encouraged St Bernard to preach the second Crusade. The last seven months of his pontificate were untroubled, thanks to a treaty with Frederick Barbarossa. He was born Bernardo Pignatelli in Montemagno, Italy.