'John VI',
pope from
October 30,
701 to
January 11,
705, was a native of
Greece, and succeeded to the papal chair two months after the death of
Sergius I.
He assisted the
exarch Theophylact, who had been sent to
Italy by the emperor
Justinian II, and prevented him from using violence against the Romans. Partly by persuasion and partly by means of a bribe, John succeeded in inducing
Gisulf,
duke of Benevento, to withdraw from the territories of the empire.