Atto of Milan
ATTO OF MILAN
Cardinal and canonist; birthplace and date unknown; d. 1085 or 1086. A Milanese cleric of noble birth, he was elected to succeed Archbishop Wido on Jan. 6, 1072, in the presence of Pope Alexander II's legate and with the support of the patarine reformers. Ensuing disorders prevented enthronement, and Atto took refuge in Rome under Pope Gregory VII when a rival candidate was consecrated with King Henry IV's approval. Despite recognition of Atto as bishop-elect by Roman synods in 1072 and 1074 and efforts to secure his rights by Pope Gregory (Registrum 2.30; 3.8, 9), he never occupied the see. He was created cardinal priest of the title of St. Mark, but little is known of his Roman career. He was among those who deserted Gregory in 1084, as Cardinal Beno and Hugh of Lyons both testified, and he was eulogized after death by the moderate Pope Victor III. His fame rests on his Breviarium (see atto, collection of). The title cardinal of Milan is a modern misnomer.
Bibliography: bonzio of sutri, Liber ad amicum, lib. 6, Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Libelli de lite, (Berlin 1826—) 1:599–600. arnulf of milan, Gesta archiepiscoporum Mediolanensium, lib. 3–4, Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Scriptores, (Berlin 1826—) 8:22–31. a. fliche, Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie ecclésiastiques, ed. a. baudrillart et al. (Paris 1912—) 5:184–185.
[j. j. ryan]