Pope Eugene III was the 169th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, serving from 1145 to 1153. Born as Bernardo Pignatelli, he was a Cistercian monk before his papacy. His tenure was marked by efforts to promote the Second Crusade, a military campaign aimed at reclaiming territories lost to Muslim forces. Eugene III faced various challenges during his papacy, including political conflicts in Italy and opposition from the Holy Roman Empire. He worked to strengthen the authority of the papacy and sought to reform the Church, emphasizing the importance of monastic life and spiritual renewal among clergy and laity alike.