STEPHEN II., pope from March 752 to April 757, was in deacon’s orders when chosen to the vacant see within twelve days after the death of Zacharias. The main difficulty of his pontificate was in connexion with the aggressive attitude of Aistulf, king of the Lombards. After unsuccessful embassies to Aistulf himself and appeals to the emperor Constantine, he, though in feeble health, set out to seek the aid of Pippin, by whom he was received in the neighbourhood of Vitry le Brulé in the beginning of 754. He spent the greater part of that year at St Denis. The result of his negotiations was the Frankish invasion of Aistulf’s territory and the famous “donation” of Pippin (see Popedom, vol. xix. p. 495; and compare France, vol. ix. p. 531). The death of Stephen took place not long after that of Aistulf. He was succeeded by Paul I.

STEPHEN III., pope from August 1, 768 to January 24, 772, was a native of Sicily, and, having come to Rome during the pontificate of Gregory III., gradually rose to high office in the service of successive popes. On the deposition of Constantine II., Stephen was chosen to succeed him. Fragmentary records are preserved of the council (April 769) at which the degradation of Constantine was completed, certain new arrangements for papal elections made, and the practice of image-worship confirmed. The politics of Stephen’s reign are obscure, but he inclined to the Lombard rather than to the Frankish alliance. He was succeeded by Adrian I.