shortly after pope alexander ii died hildebrand was proclaimed the next pope, being installed as pope gregory vii on 29 april 1073. guibert attended the first lenten synods of pope gregory in march 1074 in rome at which important laws were passed against simony and the incontinence of the clergy, but he soon emerged as one of the most visible leaders of opposition to the gregorian reforms. having attended gregory's first lenten synods, guibert refused to attend the next, the lenten synod of 1075, although he was bound by oath to obey the summons to attend. guibert was unsympathetic to gregory's opposition to the imperial court, which guibert had served as chancellor of italy. by his absence guibert demonstrated his opposition to gregory vii, who now suspended him for his refusal to attend the synod.