Pope Gregory VIII

From Freepedia

Gregory VIII, né Albert de Mora (Benevento, ca. 1100 – December 17, 1187) was Pope from October 25th, 1187 until his death.

In 1172 as papal legate he attended the council of Avranches, which absolved Henry II of England from the guilt of the murder of Thomas a Becket.

He was consecrated pope in place of Urban III on October 25, 1187. His first act as Pope was to issue the bull Audita tremendi, which called for the Third Crusade in response to the Battle of Hattin earlier in the year (Jerusalem itself had fallen earlier in October, but news of this had not yet reached the Pope). Gregory did not live to see the crusade, as he died of fever on December 17 of the same year. Clement III was his successor.