Pope Anastasius IV lived a full and long life before ascending to the Chair of Peter at age 80. Conrad, as he was known for eight decades, was bishop of Sabina for nearly 35 years, helped elect Pope Innocent II (in 1130), and served as the pope’s No. 2 when Innocent was forced to flee Rome. Anastasius was elected in July of 1153 and would serve for just under 18 months. One of his crowning achievements was the restoration of the Pantheon, the ancient Roman building that was converted to a church and dedicated to St. Mary and the Martyrs in the 7th Century. Anastasius IV died December 3, 1154.

This pope was known for being a peacemaker in two of the Western Church’s historically salty regions. In Germany, where Emperor Frederick Barbarossa had ascended to the throne, Anastasius IV reached an agreement with Barbarossa over the appointment of Magdeburg’s bishop, while in England he put to rest the tug-o-war between the Cistercians and St. William of York over the latter’s appointment as archbishop. It was no small feat, since the fight in England had lasted the length of the last four papacies. ‘Bout time.

Fun Fact: Since Anastasius IV was the oldest member of the college of cardinals, he was serving as its dean when he was chosen to succeed Eugene III. That made him the first of eight popes in history to man that post immediately prior to being elected, the most recent of whom was Pope Benedict XVI.

One of the most accurate world atlases until the Age of Discovery, the Tabula Rogeriana by Muhammad al-Idrisi, was completed in January of 1154.