Papal Kingdom (Fidem Pacis)

The Papal Kingdom was a historical state in the Italian Peninsula under the direct rule of the Pope, lasting from 735 to 1110.

The Kingdom had its origins in the Wambid Kingdom of Italy, a division of the Western Roman Empire which came under the hereditary rule of the Florentian branch of the Wambid Dynasty. In those days it was common for younger sons to enter the priesthood so as not to be a rival to their brothers. Some rose quite high in the church hierarchy, and in 733 Bishop Agila of Florence, the seventh son of King Reccared IV, was elected by the College of Cardinals and took the name of Pope Stephen III.

With six older brothers before him in the line of succession, Stephen had never entertained any dynastic ambitions. However, during the Christmas feast of 735, a freak storm caused the roof of his father's feasting hall to collapse, killing his father, all his brothers and all their sons, as well as many other great lords of the realm. Stephen was left as the last living male of his house, as well as the last person in the country who could possibly take control, and therefore in the new year he was brought before the royal seat in Ravenna and acclaimed King of Italy.

When Stephen grew old the question of succession arose once again. With no children of his own, he knew his death would mark the extinction of the House of Florence, and he knew that none of the temporal lords of the realm were powerful enough to bring order to the country. Therefore in 757 he issued a papal bull, turning the Kingdom into a papal posession for all time, to be passed from pope to pope and never again entering secular hands.

Pope-King Stephen died in 758 and, despite some initial resistance, Italy was indeed passed on to the new Pope-King Paul I. From then on the kingship and the papacy were one and indivisible,