envoys to Pepin the Short, king of the Franks, with a letter requesting his support and the provision of a Frankish escort so that Stephen could go to Pepin to confer. At the time, the Franks were on good terms with the Lombards.

In 753, John the Silentiary returned from Constantinople to Rome with an imperial order iussio that Pope Stephen accompany him to meet Aistulf in the Lombard capital of Pavia.