Archdeacon Hildebrand

c.1015 - May 25, 1085

First half of the twelfth century

Born in Tuscany and was a student of Johannes Gratianus, who became Pope Gregory VI. After Gregory was deposed, Hildebrand followed him into exile to Cologne, but eventually returned to Rome with Abbot Bruno of Toul, who became Pope Leo IX. Hildebrand was sent by the pope as a legate to Tour and was also used as a legate by the next pope, Victor II. Victor's successor, Stephen IX sent Hildrebrand and Anselm of Lucca to seek imperial recognition, but died before the two men returned successfully. He was a successful defender of Pope Nicholas II against the antipope Benedict X and continued to increase in power in the papal court. In 1061, he was instrumental in having Anselm of Lucca named Pope Alexander II.

In After Hastings, Hildebrand has been appointed as a legate by Alexander II to bring a wayward English church back into the fold. Not only is Hildebrand responsible for bringing Alexander's orders to England, but he is also responsible for ensuring that the world works out the way Alexander wants it to. Initially seen by the English as merely a messenger for Alexander II, it quickly becomes apparent to Harold, Leofwine, and Aethelwine that Hildebrand plays a much deeper game and has a brain that is constantly scheming to uphold the glory of the church.

In our own world, Hildebrand would succeed Alexander II as pope in 1073, one of only seven popes elected by acclamation (coincidentally, four of those seven took the name Gregory), and became Gregory VII. During Gregory VII time as pope, he came into conflict with Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV over the rights of the local ruler and the pope to appoint successors to important church positions, a conflict known as the Investiture Controversy, which is mirrored to some extent in parts of After Hastings. His battle with the Holy Roman Emperor tended to influence his policy with regard to other European kingdoms because it took up so much of his time and he couldn't afford to ostracize all of them in his quest to achieve temporal power for the papacy. Hildebrand/Gregory VII died on May 25, 1085.

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