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Holy Roman Emperor Otto III travels to Rome at the request of Pope John XV for support against the Roman noble Crescentius II, who controlled much of Rome and had previously deposed Pope John XIV; but arrives in Rome after John XV had died in March 996.
Otto went on and installed his 23-year-old cousin, Bruno of Carinthia, as Pope Gregory V; the first German pope. Gregory V crowns Otto III as Holy Roman Emperor on May 21, 996. Following Otto’s departure, Crescentius II expelled Gregory V and installed Antipope John XVI. Otto returned in 998, executed Crescentius II, and restored Gregory V. In 999, Gregory V died and Otto III installed Sylvester II as the new pope. Otto III's actions throughout his life further strengthened imperial control over the Catholic Church.
