In 1271, after two years from the death of the previous Pope Clemente IV, the Cardinals met in Viterbo and chose his successor Tedaldo Visconti from Piacenza. He was crowned pope with the name of Gregorio X.
He descended from the aristocratic family Visconti from Piacenza (should not to be confused with the homonymous from Milan).
The pope from Piacenza
His pontificate was short but intensive.
In 1274, he wanted a big and important council in Lyon, in which many bishops abbots, theologians and ambassadors from all over the world took part.
The carreer of Gregorio X
This specific occasion was used to discuss about the clergy, about the circustances in the Holy Land and mainly about the huge issue releated to the Greek schism. As a good diplomatist, the Pope menaged to making up with the Greek Church and with the patriarch of Costantinople too; he took charge of the continued fights between Ghuelphs and Ghibellines.
He died in 1276 in Arezzo. The goverment of the town decided to erect a monument in his honor in its main square.
In his hometown, Piacenza, dedicated a monument to him which is outside of Sant’Antonino church.