ABSTRACT
The greatest political problem Pope Gregory had to face was that of the Lombard's. Gregory's consecration as pope coincided with the death of the Lombard king Autharis. In July 592 Gregory wrote to Archbishop John of Ravenna urging him to prevail on the exarch to agree to the conclusion of a peace with Ariulf of Spoleto and to send a commander to Naples, threatened with capture by Arichis. Gregory did not believe it would be renewed, warning Januarius of Caralis to strengthen his city's defences and lay in provisions in preparation for the expiration of the peace. An armistice was concluded between Romanus of Sicily and King Agilulf, and the exarch, now apparently alive to his precarious position, initiated negotiations with the Lombard's for a general peace. With the Lombard's, Gregory faced all three major religious problems at once- heresy, paganism and schism.
