Pope Urban II
Pope Urban II was born to the noble family de Lagery Family in the northern French town of Chatillon sur Marne. In 1035. He was baptized as Odo. When he became pope in his fifties he became Pope Urban II.
He grew up in the Champagne region of north eastern France in an intensely localized environment.
Pope Urban II became pope at the time the papacy was in a shambles. This was because of the investiture dispute involving Pope Gregory VII and Emperor Henry the IV of Germany. Pope Gregory the VII excommunicated Henry the IV who organize a synod of bishops who deposed Gregory VII and instead elected the Antipope Clement III. Pope Gregory VII had to flee Rome and died in Salerno. This led to the election of Pope Victor III (1086 – 1087).
It was in 1088 that Odo Bishop of Ostia was elected Pope that he became Pope Urban II.