How did Gregory I’s relationship with the Byzantine Empire affect his rule as pope?

Gregory I’s relationship with the Byzantine Empire was defined by complex tensions that significantly shaped his papal rule. While he viewed himself as part of a "holy commonwealth" headed by the Byzantine emperor, he frequently navigated conflicts between his duties to the church and imperial policies.1

Key aspects of this relationship included:

• Administrative Friction: Gregory often found himself at odds with Byzantine strategies, which prioritized protecting Ravenna at the expense of Rome. Because the empire provided little support for his efforts against schismatics or the Lombards, Gregory was forced to orchestrate an independent policy, acting as a "treasurer" and "paymaster" to secure Rome’s safety.1
• Diplomatic Discretion: Gregory practiced a policy of ambivalence, executing imperial laws he found objectionable while simultaneously protesting them to fulfill his duty to God.1
• Ecclesiastical Rivalry: Tensions were exacerbated by the dispute over the title "ecumenical patriarch," which Gregory viewed as an expression of pride that ignored Rome’s primacy. Despite his protests, imperial support for the patriarch deepened the divide between Rome and Constantinople.12