The murder of Henry of Almain and the election of Pope Gregory X in 1271

Before the smoke clears: The longest papal election in history was marred by a brutal murder

Papal elections never used to be so short or easy. In 1268 Pope Clement IV died and the cardinals, divided between French and Italian factions, would be deadlocked for the next three years over his successor. To promote the interests of France, Charles of Anjou, the real power in Italy, accompanied his nephew Philip III of France to Viterbo, just north of Rome, where the election was being held. Their retinue included a young Englishman, Henry of Almain, the oldest son of Richard of Cornwall, the titular king of Germany (Almain) and brother of Henry III of England.

On 13 March 1271, Henry walked into a little church in Viterbo to attend mass. Sometime later, his body was retrieved from the square outside, bludgeoned and hacked up beyond belief. It was a political murder that shocked all of Europe, and it had absolutely no connection at all to the election of the pope. The cardinals may have discussed it, may have even been unnerved by it, but they went right back to bickering. It would take another six months for the new pontiff, Gregory X, to don his sacred hat.

The murder actually began inside the church, which stands on a little square off the main road to the cathedral. Henry was in the congregation...