Gregory X

The introduction printed with the council’s decrees gives his election as 1 September 1271, after a vacancy of almost three years, and his death as 10 January 1276 (Second Council of Lyon, introduction). His conclave law begins by recalling how much the Roman church loses in a long vacancy, and orders the cardinals to be enclosed and their food reduced until they elect (Second Council of Lyon, constitution 2 (Ubi periculum)).

The record of the council shows him presiding at Lyon: preaching at the first session on the Holy Land, the Greeks and reform (Second Council of Lyon, Brief Record (Brevis nota) cols 61–63), and intoning the Te Deum in tears when the envoys of Michael VIII Palaiologos had sworn to the Roman faith (Second Council of Lyon, Brief Record (Brevis nota) cols 65–66). In his closing address he told the bishops that prelates were bringing the whole world to ruin, and that if they did not correct themselves he would deal with them severely (Second Council of Lyon, Brief Record (Brevis nota) cols 67–68). See the Second Council of Lyon.