Pope Gregory VIII

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Not to be confused with the earlier Antipope Gregory VIII

Gregory VIII
Birth name	Alberto di Morra
Papacy began	October 25, 1187
Papacy ended	December 17, 1187
Predecessor	Urban III
Successor	Clement III
Born	c. 1100 Benevento, Italy
Died	December 17, 1187 Pisa, Italy
Other popes named Gregory

Pope Gregory VIII (c. 1100, Benevento, Italy–December 17, 1187, Pisa, Italy), born Alberto di Morra, was Pope from October 25, 1187 until his death.

Gregory VIII was a well-educated Beneventan noble who became a Cistercian monk in Laon at a young age. With the establishment of the Premonstratensians in 1126 he became a member of that order, and is considered the only Premonstratensian Pope.

In 1172 he attended the council of Avranches as papal legate, which absolved Henry II of England (1154–1189) from the guilt of the murder of Thomas Becket (1118–1170).

He was consecrated as Pope in place of Pope Urban III (1185–1187) on October 25, 1187. His first act as Pope was to issue the papal bull Audita tremendi, which called for the Third Crusade in response to the Battle of Hattin earlier that year. Jerusalem itself had fallen in October, but news of this had not yet reached the Pope. Gregory VIII did not live to see the crusade, as he died of fever that same year. Pope Clement III (1187–1191) was his successor.

Roman Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Urban III	Pope 1187	Succeeded by Clement III

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