Evio Perego (1056-1176) was a Bishop of the College of Cardinals from the Duchy of Milan. He was later elected Pope Marcus II and served as Pope from 1166 to 1176. After he died, he was succeeded by Pope Orlandus I.
Biography[]
Born in Milan, Perego was ordained as a Priest and in 1080 was elected to the College of Cardinals under Pope Gregory VII. Perego was a representative of the Duchy of Milan's House of Rossi, balancing the scales in the favor of Milan in the Papal States. He became the Pope in 1166 after the death of Pope Gregory VII, and took the name "Pope Marcus of Milan".
Pope Marcus II[]
Perego claimed to have a divine connection, with strong faith and an enemy of heretics. He was a warlike Pope and declared a crusade against Antioch, joined by almost all of Europe's Catholic powers. Pope Marcus II died in 1176, and was succeeded by Pope Orlandus I.