JOHN", the name of a long line of popes, the number of whom is variously slated by different historians, owing to some uncertainty as to the designation of two of the popes in the series—John VIII. (872-82), who is styled the IX. by sonic writers, who, accept lag the story of pope Joan (q.v.), reckon her as John VIII.; and John XV. (985-96), who is also called XVI. by those who place before him another John who died within a ilisw days of his election. Without entering into this question, it will suffice to say that the last of the line of popes called John is John XXIII. The following appear to deserve some special notiee.—JomN XII. was the son of Alberico, anti grandson of the notorious Marozia, who, during the pontificate of John X. (913-27), ruled with almost Apreme power at Rome. John was originally named Oetavinnus, and on the death of Pope Agapitus in 950, being elected pope through the lawless intrigue or violence of the dominant party, when only in his 19th year, was the first in the papal line to originate the now familiar practice of changing his name. Ilis life. aceonliug to accounts which it is impossible to discredit, was what might be expected from such antecedents, scandalous and disorderly; and although he had crowned Otho emperor and king of Italy in 962, that monarch in 963, in a synod of the clergy, overstepping all the ordinary rules of canonical procedure and legal precedent, caused sentence of depositiou for scandalous life to be pronounced against, John, ;tad Leo VIII. to be elected in his stead. John, however, re-entered Rome in the following year with a strong party, and drove out Leo; but his career was emit a dishonorable death. Ile was killed, according to Luitprand, while prosecuting an unlawful intrigue in 964. In his effeminacy or licentiousness, Panvinins and other historians find the origin of the fable of pope Jolla XXII. is one of the most celebrated of the popes of Avignon. Ilis family name was James de labors, and he was elected pope in 1316, on the death of Clement V. Attempting to carry out, in very altered circumstances, the vast and comprehensive
.policy of Gregory VII. and Innocent III., John interposed his authority in the contest for the imperial crown between Louis of Bavaria arid Frederick of Austria, by not only espousing the cause of the latter, but even excommunicathfg his rival. '1 he public opinion, however, and the political relations of the papacy founded upon it had already begun to change. The diet of Frankfort refused to obey, and a long contest ensued, Not only in Germany, but also in Italy, where the Guelph or papal party wits represented by Robert, king of Naples, Frederick of Sicily being the chief leader of the Ghibellines. "1' he latter was placed by John under the same ban which 'had already been proclaimed against Louis; but in 1327 Louis came to Italy in person, and having been crowned at Milan with the iron crown, adva»ced upon Rome. expelled the papal legate, and was crowned emperor in the church of St. Peter's by two Lombard bishops Immediately on his coronation he proceeded to bold an assembly, in which he caused the pope, under his original name of James de Cations, to be thrice summoned to answer a charge of heresy and breach of fealty; after which he caused him to be deposed. and Peter de Corvara. a monk, to he elected pope, under the name of Nicholas V. These measures, however, were attended with little result. Louis returned to Germany, and the Guelphic predominance at Rome was restored, the papal representative resuming his authority. But John XXII. never personally visited Rome, having died at Avignon in 1334, when, although without incurring the suspicion of personal aggrandizement, he had accumulated iv the papal treasury the enormous sum of 18,000.000 florins of gold. This pope is remarkable in theological history as the author of that portion of the canton law called the Ertraragantes, and also as having held the singular opinion, that the just will not be. admitted to the beatific vision until after the general resurrection. This opinion lie formally retracted before his death.