July 13

John III was elected Pope in 561 and led the Church during the Lombard invasions of Italy. He negotiated with Lombard kings to protect Church territories and mediated peace agreements. He undertook restoration of basilicas damaged by war and promoted missionary work in England. Throughout his pontificate, he maintained relations with the Byzantine Empire to secure support for Rome. John III died on 13 July 574 and was succeeded by Pope Benedict I.

Born Li Dan in 662, he first ascended the throne in 684 as Emperor Zhongzong but was deposed by his mother, Wu Zetian. He regained power in 710 after a palace coup that restored the Tang dynasty. His second reign was largely ceremonial, with real authority held by his son Li Longji (later Emperor Xuanzong). During his rule, he oversaw the recovery of the empire after the tumultuous Zhou interregnum. Rui Zong abdicated in 712 and retired; he died on 13 July 716, leaving a legacy of dynastic restoration.

Born in 758, Wu Yuanheng rose through the ranks of the Tang bureaucracy, earning a reputation for integrity. As chancellor, he supported centralization of power and campaigns against regional warlords. He was also celebrated for his lyrical poetry, blending personal reflection with classical form. In 815, he was murdered in a political conspiracy, becoming a symbol of loyalty and courage in official historiography. His death marked a turning point in the struggle between central authority and regional military governors.

Born around 835, Huang Chao began as a salt merchant before leading a peasant uprising in 874. His rebellion seized Luoyang and Chang'an by 881, forcing Emperor Xizong to flee. He declared himself emperor of the new state of Qi and sought to legitimize his rule. Despite initial successes, his forces were gradually expelled by Tang loyalists and regional warlords. Huang Chao was killed in 884, but his uprising accelerated the decline and fragmentation of the Tang dynasty.

Elected in 936, Leo VII worked to strengthen the influence of Cluniac monasticism within Europe. He maintained peaceful relations with the East Frankish kingdom and sought to mediate conflicts among Italian nobles. Leo VII granted privileges to monasteries to encourage spiritual renewal and discipline. Though his brief pontificate saw few major events, his patronage of monasticism had lasting effects on Church reform. He died on 13 July 939 and was remembered as a humble and reform-minded pope.

Appointed by Emperor Otto II, Gunther served as margrave of Merseburg, defending the empire’s eastern frontier. He managed relations with Slavic tribes and organized defenses along the Elbe River. His administration helped stabilize the region and secure trade routes. Gunther oversaw the construction of fortifications and the settlement of German colonists. He died in 982, leaving Merseburg firmly under imperial control.

Consecrated bishop in the mid-10th century, Henry I led the diocese of Augsburg during a period of religious reform. He enforced clerical discipline and promoted the construction and renovation of cathedrals. Henry participated in synods that addressed church governance and relations with secular rulers. He maintained close ties with Emperor Otto II, supporting imperial policies in Bavaria. Henry I died in 982, remembered for strengthening the spiritual and administrative foundations of his diocese.

A member of the ruling family of Capua, Pandulf II governed alongside his relatives in the 10th century. He navigated alliances between the Byzantines, the Holy Roman Empire, and neighboring Lombard states. Pandulf’s rule saw both cooperation and conflict as southern Italian politics fragmented. He supported fortification projects and managed trade routes in Campania. Pandulf II died in 982, leaving his territory contested among rival branches of the family.

Son of Pandulf Ironhead, Landulf IV inherited the principalities of Capua and Benevento in the late 10th century. He faced challenges from both the Byzantines and the Holy Roman Empire as he defended his domains. Landulf engaged in strategic marriages and alliances to maintain his family’s influence. His reign saw internal conflicts with local nobility and rival Lombard branches. Landulf IV died in 982, after which Capua and Benevento gradually diverged under separate rulers.

A member of the Kalbid dynasty, Abu'l-Qasim governed Sicily under the suzerainty of the Fatimid Caliphate. He fortified coastal cities and led campaigns to repel Byzantine attempts to reclaim the island. Under his rule, Palermo flourished as a center of trade and culture in the Mediterranean. He patronized scholars and overseers of agriculture, enhancing the island’s prosperity. Abu'l-Qasim died in 982, leaving a legacy of strong governance and military resilience.

Henry II, also known as Saint Henry, was King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor from 1014 until his death in 1024. Born in 973 in the Duchy of Bavaria, he consolidated imperial power through strategic alliances and church reforms. He worked to increase the influence of the papacy while asserting imperial authority over Italian territories. Henry was known for his pious devotion and patronage of monasteries and churches. He died in 1024 and was canonized by Pope Eugene III in 1146, becoming the only German monarch recognized as a saint in the Catholic Church.

Rashi, born Shlomo Yitzhaki in 1040, was a preeminent French rabbi and scholar. He authored authoritative commentaries on the Talmud and Tanakh that became foundational texts for Jewish study. Rashi’s clear explanations and introduction of commentary notation greatly influenced subsequent generations of Jewish learning. He established a model of exegesis that highlighted linguistic analysis and contextual interpretation. Rashi passed away in Troyes in 1105, and his works remain central to Jewish education worldwide.