ANTIPOPE, a pontiff elected in opposition to one canonically chosen. The first antipodes were: Felix, during the pontificate of Liberius (352-66) and recognized during the absence of Liberius; Ursinus, against Damasus (366 84) ; Eulalius, against Boniface I (418-22); Laurentius, against Symmachus (498-514) ; Dioscurus, against Boniface II (530-32) ; Vigilius, against Sylverius, until 54.0, then canonical; Constantine, against Paul (767); Anastasius, against Benedict III (855); John XVI, Philogathus, against Gregory V (996 99) ; Gregory, against Benedict VIII (1012 24). During the middle ages several emperors of Germany set up Popes against those whom the Romans had elected without consulting them. Otho the Great displaced successively two bishops of Rome; and when the rival Pope, Sylvester III, had expelled the simonia cal and profligate Benedict IX (1033-45), the latter was brought back by the German King, and soon afterward relinquished his dignity in consideration of a large tribute. Gratianus, who had persuaded him to yield, was now named Pope by the Romans as Gregory VI. There were, consequently, three Popes, but their claims were all set aside at a council con vened at Sutri by the Emperor, Henry III, and a new Pope elected as Clement II in 1046. Shortly after, Pope Alexander II found a rival in Honorius II, the nominee of the Emperor; but his claim was ratified by a council convened at Mantua. In 1080 the same unseemly spectacle was witnessed, when the Emperor Henry IV elevated to the papal chair Guibert of Ravenna, under the title of Clement III, in opposition to his own implacable adversary, Gregory VII. After the death of Gregory (1085), Clement was antipope successively to Victor III (1087-88) and Urban II (1088-99). Other antipopes at this period were Albert, Theodoric, Maginulf, all in one year (1100-01) ; Maurice Burdin, against Gelasius II (1118-19) and Calixtus II (1124-30). Innocent II (1130 43) triumphed over the antipope Anacletus II by the help of Saint Bernard; and Alexander III, during his pontificate (1159-81), had to contend with three successive antipopes, the election of only one of whom, however, Victor IV, in 1159, has any appearance of canonical validity. The others were named Pascal III (1168) and Calixtus III, the same year. After a long contest Clement V was elected in 1305, and• four years later transferred his seat to Avignon, where his successors reigned for nearly 70 years, losing the while, by their sub jection to French influences, the sympathies of Germany and England. Nicholas V (1328-30)
was antipope against John XXII. The election of Urban VI in 1378 occasioned 'the great schism of the West,• which divided the Church for 50 years. He was elected by the Romans, who demanded an Italian Pope after the death of Gregory XI. The French cardinals, then a majority in the curia, on the plea that they had elected the Pope only under intimidation, with drew to Provence, and elected an antipope under the name of Clement VII, who was recognized by France, Spain, Savoy and Scotland; while Italy, Germany, England and the whole north of Europe supported Urban VI. For 38 years Christian Europe was scandalized by the spec tacle of two Popes, one at Geneva, another at Rome, in turn hurling the most awful anathemas of the Church at each other. At the beginning of the 15th century an attempt was made to prevail on both the rivals, Gregory XII at Rome, and Benedict XIII at Avignon, to re nounce their claims with a view to promote union, but both evaded this as long as possible. At length, however, the cardinals attached to either court agreed to summon a general coun cil, which met accordingly at Pisa in 1409. The council deposed both Popes and constituted the separate bodies of cardinals into one conclave which elected Alexander V to the papal chair. The schism was finally healed when the council of Constance deposed John XXIII, and Gregory XII and Benedict XIII agreed to abdicate and recognize as Pope Martin V, against whom Peter de Luna and Munoz of Barcelona were antipopes. The council of Basel (1431-47), in its struggle with Pope Eugenius IV (1431-47) for supremacy, at tempted to arrogate to itself the papal func tions and proceeded to elect Amadeus of Savoy Pope as Felix V. The attempt, however, failed; the Popes Eugenius IV and Nicholas V (1447-55) secured their authority, the am bitious council finally dissolved itself and Felix V resigned his empty dignity and was raised to the rank of cardinal by the magnanimous Pope himself. This was the last occasion on which the faithful were distracted by the sight of a rival pontiff within Christendom.