Pope Bl. Gregory X (184º): Biography, Pontificate & Legacy

Who Was Pope Bl. Gregory X?

Among the 267 popes, Bl. Gregory X is number 184, remembered for the years 1 September 1271–10 January 1276 in the high Middle Ages. Citizen of the Free Commune of Piacenza. Use the sections below to move from a one-line summary of Bl. Gregory X to a usable historical and spiritual picture.

Early Life & Background

Before election he was known as Teobaldo Visconti. Born circa 1210 Free Commune of Piacenza(city-state), he entered a world shaped by politics and piety very different from today's global Church.

Historical Context

Bl. Gregory X (#undefined) led during crusades, monastic reform, and cathedral culture — and during sharp contests between popes and emperors over authority in Christendom. Convened the Second Council of Lyon and issued the bull Ubi periculum(1274), regulating conclaves until the 20th century.

Pontificate & Key Events

The pontificate (1 September 1271–10 January 1276) centered on governance during the high Middle Ages.

Papal Acts & Achievements

Acts associated with Bl. Gregory X (#184, 1 September 1271–10 January 1276) still draw historians and Catholics who want more than a one-line summary. His reign remains a link in the succession now counted at 267 popes.

Key Highlights

• 184th pope of the Catholic Church
• Pontificate: 1 September 1271–10 January 1276
• Beatified by the Catholic Church
• Convened the Second Council of Lyon and issued the bull Ubi periculum(1274), regulating conclaves until the 20th century.

Legacy in the Catholic Church

Bl. Gregory X remains pope 184º in the Annuario Pontificio. Set against the high Middle Ages, Bl. Gregory X's choices show both the limits of any one pontiff and the continuity of the office he held.

Why Catholics Study This Pope Today

Reading Bl. Gregory X as pope 184º (1 September 1271–10 January 1276) is a way to study how Rome answered the crises of the high Middle Ages. Start with the concrete record: Convened the Second Council of Lyon and issued the bull Ubi periculum(1274), regulating conclaves until the 20th century. Where bulls, conciliar acts, or encyclicals survive from this reign, they repay readers who want primary sources rather than summaries alone. Compare Bl. Gregory X with the biographies of his predecessor and successor linked below to see reform, rupture, or quiet continuity.

Place in the Line of Succession

Bl. Gregory X followed Pope Clement IV (183º, 5 February 1265–29 November 1268) after a transition shaped by the politics and piety of their shared century. He was followed by Pope Bl. Innocent V (185º, 21 January 1276–22 June 1276), whose biography continues the chain on Guide Catholic. For the full chronological map, see our complete list of all 267 popes — then read neighboring biographies for contrast, not only continuity.