pope, and back-dated his reign to 974. Final days Little is known of the reign of Boniface VII, but on 20 July 985 he suddenly died. It is possible that he was murdered, but it cannot be confirmed by any known sources. His body was dragged through the streets, stripped naked until it was left beneath Marcus Aurelius's statue in front of the Lateran Palace. There were undoubtedly many atrocities that Boniface committed in the eleven months he was in power in 984–985, most of which were probably acts of revenge due to his previous exile. It is obvious he had become a stranger to the Roman people, and had most likely even become an inconvenience to his own followers. He was referred to as “Malefatius” instead of Bonifatius, and also “horrendum monstrum” by many, showing the turn of feelings the people of Rome had had. The anti-imperial faction, previously headed by Crescentius and now headed by his two sons, that had helped him rise to his papal status was now not so much Byzantine as it was Roman. They likely overthrew Boniface VII in hopes of seizing control of a vulnerable Rome. After a reign spanning eleven years, in which he overthrew two popes, allowing both to die in Castel Sant’Angelo, Boniface VII was finally dead. The following morning compassionate clerics removed the corpse and gave it a Christian burial. See also Papal selection before 1059 References This article uses text from the 9th edition (1880s) of an unnamed encyclopedia. Year of birth unknown 985 deaths 10th-century antipopes 10th-century Italian cardinals Antipopes