The 1118 Papal Election was held to choose the successor for
Pope Paschal II, who died in
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus ( legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
on 21 January 1118, after an 18-year pontificate.
Pope Gelasius II
Pope Gelasius II (c. 1060/1064 – 29 January 1119), born Giovanni Caetani or Giovanni da Gaeta (also called ''Coniulo''), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 24 January 1118 to his death in 1119. A monk of Monte C ...
was elected as his successor. The election happened during the
Investiture Controversy
The Investiture Controversy, also called Investiture Contest (German: ''Investiturstreit''; ), was a conflict between the Church and the state in medieval Europe over the ability to choose and install bishops ( investiture) and abbots of mona ...
, a conflict between supporters of the Papacy and those of the Holy Roman Emperor. The election was held under the threat of possible violence due to the controversy. The Cardinal electors took refuge in the Benedictine monastery,
S. Maria in Pallara, during the election. Within minutes of his election as pope, Gelasius II was attacked and imprisoned by the Frangipani faction, supporters of the Holy Roman Emperor. Gelasius managed to escape, but at the emperor's arrival with his army, he fled Rome and never returned.
Cardinal-electors
The
Papal bull entitled, ''
In Nomine Domini,'' issued by
Pope Nicholas II
Pope Nicholas II ( la, Nicholaus II; c. 990/995 – 27 July 1061), otherwise known as Gerard of Burgundy, was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 24 January 1059 until his death in 27 July 1061. At the time of his ...
in 1059, declared that, to choose the successor upon the death of the incumbent pope, the cardinal-bishops would discuss and present the name of a suitable candidate, and the cardinals would subsequently ratify the nomination.
Information regarding the Cardinals during the election was compiled over 12 years later by
Pandulf of Pisa, cardinal-priest of
Santi Cosma e Damiano
The basilica of Santi Cosma e Damiano is a titular church in Rome, Italy. The lower portion of the building is accessible through the Roman Forum and incorporates original Roman buildings, but the entrance to the upper level is outside the For ...
. The account is not complete. Indeed, some historians have pointed out the inaccuracy of Pandulf's account, including his list of electors, given his support for
Antipope Anacletus II
Anacletus II (died January 25, 1138), born Pietro Pierleoni, was an antipope who ruled in opposition to Pope Innocent II from 1130 until his death in 1138. After the death of Pope Honorius II, the college of cardinals was divided over his succ ...
(1130–1138), who made him a cardinal.
Pandulf states that the election was attended by 49 cardinals: four bishops, 27 priests, and 18 deacons. Still, the account mentions the names of only 35 cardinals (four bishops, 20 priests, and 11 deacons), including the elected Gelasius. However, the status of the cardinals, priests, and deacons was unclear from the Pandulf account. In addition, several cardinals mentioned by Pandulf only obtained that position when elevated after the papal election by a later pope. Other chroniclers also made incomplete accounts.
According to the work of Rudolf Huls, the College of Cardinals had only 41 members as of January 1118: 6 bishops, 20 priests, and 15 deacons, of which the following 36 participated in the election:
Cardinal Bishops
* Crescenzio (nominated cardinal in 1100) -
Cardinal-bishop of Sabina
A cardinal ( la, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalis, literally 'cardinal of the Holy Roman Church') is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. Cardinals are created by the ruling pope and typically hold the title for life. Co ...
*
Pietro Senex Pietro Senex (died 1134) was Cardinal-Bishop of Porto from 1102 until his death. He was born probably in Rome. Rector of Benevento
He appears for the first time as cardinal in March 1102, when he exercised the legatine duties in Benevento. From 110 ...
(1102) -
Cardinal-bishop of Porto
A cardinal ( la, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalis, literally 'cardinal of the Holy Roman Church') is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. Cardinals are created by the ruling pope and typically hold the title for life. Co ...
*
Lamberto Scannabecchi -
Cardinal-bishop of Ostia
The Roman Catholic Suburbicarian Diocese of Ostia is an ecclesiastical territory located within the Metropolitan City of Rome in Italy. It is one of the seven suburbicarian dioceses. The incumbent Bishop is cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. Since ...
*
Vitalis (1111) -
Cardinal-bishop of Albano
The Diocese of Albano ( la, Albanensis) is a suburbicarian see of the Roman Catholic Church in a diocese in Italy, comprising seven towns in the Province of Rome. Albano Laziale is situated some 15 kilometers from Rome, on the Appian Way.
Under ...
Cardinal Priests
*
Boniface (1100) - Cardinal-Priest of
S. Marco; ''prior cardinalium''
*
Benedict (1102) - Cardinal-Priest of
S. Pietro in Vincoli
*
Anastasius (1102) - Cardinal-Priest of
S. Clemente
*
Divizo (1103) - Cardinal-Priest of
Ss. Silvestro e Martino
*
Joannes
Joannes or John ( la, Iohannes; died 425) was western Roman emperor from 423 to 425.
On the death of the Emperor Honorius (15 August 423), Theodosius II, the remaining ruler of the House of Theodosius, hesitated in announcing his uncle's d ...
(1106) - Cardinal-Priest of
S. Cecilia
*
Theobaldus (1111) - Cardinal-Priest of
Ss. Giovanni e Paolo
*
Rainerius (1111) - Cardinal-Priest of
Ss. Marcellino e Pietro
*
Corrado della Suburra (1114) - Cardinal-Priest of
S. Pudenziana
* Gregory (1115) - Cardinal-Priest of
S. Prisca
*
Desiderius
Desiderius, also known as Daufer or Dauferius (born – died ), was king of the Lombards in northern Italy, ruling from 756 to 774. The Frankish king of renown, Charlemagne, married Desiderius's daughter and subsequently conquered his realm. Des ...
(c. 1115) - Cardinal-Priest of
S. Prassede
*
Deusdedit (1116) - Cardinal-Priest of
S. Lorenzo in Damaso
*
Gregorius (1116) - Cardinal-Priest of
San Lorenzo in Lucina
* Giovanni, O.S.B. Cas. (1116) - Cardinal-Priest of
S. Eusebio
* Guido, O.S.B. (1116) - Cardinal-Priest of
S. Balbina
*
Giovanni da Crema (1116) - Cardinal-Priest of
S. Crisogono
*
Saxo de Anagnia (1116) - Cardinal-Priest of
S. Stefano al Monte Celio
*
Petrus Pisanus (1113) - Cardinal-Priest of
S. Susanna
*
Amico, O.S.B. Cas. (1117) - Cardinal-Priest of
Ss. Nereo ed Achilleo; Abbot of S. Vincenzo al Volturno
Cardinal Deacons
*
Giovanni Gaetani, O.S.B. Cas. (1088) - Cardinal-Deacon of
S. Maria in Cosmedin
The Basilica of Saint Mary in Cosmedin ( it, Basilica di Santa Maria in Cosmedin or ''de Schola Graeca'') is a minor basilica church in Rome, Italy. It is located in the rione of Ripa.
History
According to Byzantine historian Andrew Ekonomo ...
; Cardinal-protodeacon.
* Gregorio, OSB (c. 1108) - Cardinal-Deacon of
S. Eustachio
Sant'Eustachio is a Roman Catholic titular church and minor basilica in Rome, named for the martyr Saint Eustace. It is located on Via di Sant'Eustachio in the rione Sant'Eustachio, a block west of the Pantheon and via della Rotonda, and a ...
* Romoaldo (1109) - Cardinal-Deacon of
S. Maria in Via Lata
Santa Maria in Via Lata is a church on the Via del Corso (the ancient Via Lata), in Rome, Italy. It stands diagonal from the church of San Marcello al Corso.
It is the Station days for Tuesday, the fifth week of lent.
History
The first Chr ...
* Gregorio Gaetano (1109) - Cardinal-Deacon of
S. Lucia in Septisolio
* Aldo da Ferentino (1109) - Cardinal-Deacon of
Ss. Sergio e Bacco
*
Teobaldo Boccapecora (1109) - Cardinal-Deacon of
S. Maria Nuova
*
Roscemanno, O.S.B.Cas. (1112) - Cardinal-Deacon of
S. Giorgio in Velabro
*
Pietro Pierleoni, OSBCluny (1113) - Cardinal-Deacon of
Ss. Cosma e Damiano
*
Oderisio di Sangro, O.S.B.Cas. (1112) - Cardinal-Deacon of
S. Agata
* Comes (1113) - Cardinal-Deacon of
S. Maria in Aquiro
*
Gregorio Papareschi
Pope Innocent II ( la, Innocentius II; died 24 September 1143), born Gregorio Papareschi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 14 February 1130 to his death in 1143. His Papal conclave, election as pope was controve ...
(1116) - Cardinal-Deacon of
S. Angelo in Pescheria
* Crisogono (1117) - Cardinal-Deacon of
S. Nicola in Carcere
* Enrico da Mazara (1117) - Cardinal-Deacon of
S. Teodoro; Dean of the collegiate church of
Mazara del Vallo, Sicily
* Crescenzio di Anagni (1117) - Cardinal-Deacon
Two subdeacons were in attendance, Nicholas, Provost of the Choir School, and Amico O.S.B. (Cluny), Abbot of
Saint Lawrence outside the Walls.
Absent
It can be established that at least two cardinal-priests, two cardinal-bishops, and a cardinal-deacon were absent:
* Giovanni Marsicano, O.S.B. (1100) -
Cardinal-bishop of Tusculum
The Diocese of Frascati (Lat.: ''Tusculana'') is a suburbicarian see of the Diocese of Rome, Holy Roman Church and a diocese of the Catholic Church in Italy, based at Frascati, near Rome. The bishop of Frascati is a Cardinal Bishop; from the Lati ...
*
Kuno von Urach (1107) -
Cardinal-bishop of Palestrina
The Roman Catholic Suburbicarian Diocese of Palestrina ( la, Diocesis Praenestina) is a Roman Catholic suburbicarian diocese centered on the comune of Palestrina in Italy.
The current bishop of Palestrina is Domenico Sigalini, who from 3 Nove ...
; papal legate in France
*
Boso (1109) - Cardinal-priest of
S. Anastasia; papal legate in Spain
* Ugone d'Alatri (1116) - Cardinal-priest of
Santi Dodici Apostoli; Governor
Monte Circeo
* Giovanni, O.S.B. (1073) - Cardinal-deacon of
Santa Maria in Domnica
The Minor Basilica of St. Mary in Domnica alla Navicella (Basilica Minore di Santa Maria in Domnica alla Navicella), or simply Santa Maria in Domnica or Santa Maria alla Navicella, is a Roman Catholic basilica in Rome, Italy, dedicated to the Bl ...
; Abbot of
Subiaco
The choice of Gelasius II
During his papacy, Paschal II waged the
investiture controversy
The Investiture Controversy, also called Investiture Contest (German: ''Investiturstreit''; ), was a conflict between the Church and the state in medieval Europe over the ability to choose and install bishops ( investiture) and abbots of mona ...
with
Emperor Henry V, who had a considerable following among the aristocracy of Rome. From 6 to 11 March 1116, Paschal II presided over a general council at the
Lateran Basilica
The Archbasilica Cathedral of the Most Holy Savior and of Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist in the Lateran ( it, Arcibasilica del Santissimo Salvatore e dei Santi Giovanni Battista ed Evangelista in Laterano), also known as the Papa ...
, The leader of the anti-imperial opposition to Paschal's concessions to Henry was Cardinal Giovanni of Gaeta, the chancellor of the Holy Roman Church. In the council, Pope Paschal was forced to condemn his own ''privilegium.'' This was a concession that Paschal had granted to the emperor, allowing the emperor to invest bishops with his staff and ring of office. Paschal agreed to again
anathematize any person who gave or received ecclesiastical titles from the hands of a layman, though he resisted the council's wish to anathematize the emperor. This action in the council by Paschal was a repudiation of the agreement he had previously reached with the emperor. It caused great offense and anger. After many representations to the pope, Henry marched on Rome. On 5 April 1117, supporters of the emperor forced Paschal to flee the Lateran palace. He spent his time at Montecassino, and then Benevento. There he held a synod, where he excommunicated the emperor's friend,
Maurice Burdinus, the archbishop of Braga, who had been the go-between in recent negotiations. He returned to Rome to the Castel S. Angelo on 14 January 1118, where he died on 21 January.
After his death, the Cardinals took refuge in the Palladium (S. Maria in Pallara), a Benedictine monastery on the
Palatine Hill
The Palatine Hill (; la, Collis Palatium or Mons Palatinus; it, Palatino ), which relative to the seven hills of Rome is the centremost, is one of the most ancient parts of the city and has been called "the first nucleus of the Roman Empire." ...
, fearing the violence of supporters of the emperor. The meetings were presided over by Cardinal Petrus of Porto. He waited the three canonical days before beginning the election, having also sent a swift messenger summoning Cardinal Giovanni Gaetani, who was at Montecassino. On 24 January 1118, three days after the customary prayers and devotions, the electors unanimously chose Cardinal Giovanni Coniulo from Gaeta for the papacy, the cardinal-deacon of
Santa Maria in Cosmedin and Chancellor of the Holy See. On election, he adopted the
papal name Gelasius II.
Aftermath
Shortly after his election, as the clergy and people were celebrating Gelasius' enthronement,
Cenzio Frangipani, a supporter of the emperor, whose house and headquarters were next door to S. Maria in Pallara, broke into the church with his followers and assaulted the pope. The pope was seized and carried off to Frangipani's house, where he was chained and imprisoned.
Pope Gelasius II was freed by a popular uprising led by Peter, the Prefect of Rome. However, as the emperor Henry and his army approached the city, Gelasius fled from Rome to his native Gaeta on March 1, where he was ordained as a priest on 9 March 1118. He was consecrated a bishop and enthroned on 10 March. Pandulphus Pisanus was ordained a lector and an exorcist on the same day. He then fled to Pisa and ultimately to France, where he remained until his death at the Abbey of Cluny on 29 January 1119. In his absence, the papal vicar in Rome was Cardinal Petrus, the Bishop of Porto.
[Falco of Benevento, in: Ludovico Antonio Muratori, ''Rerum Italicarum Scriptores'' Tomus V, p. 93.]
Notes
References
Bibliography
* Furst, C. G. (1966).'' Kennen Wir die Wahlern Gelsius' II?'', In:'' Festschrift Karl Pivec. Zum 60 Geburtstag von gewidmet Kollegen'', edited by Anton Haidacher, Hans Eberhard Mayer, ed. Sprachwissenschaftliches Institut der Leopold-Franzens-Universität, 1966, pp. 69–80.
* Gregorovius, Ferdinand (1896). ''History of Rome in the Middle Ages''. Volume IV. 2, second edition, revised (London: George Bell, 1896)
ook VIII chapter 2 pp. 377–389.
* Hüls, Rudolf (1977). '' Kardinal, Klerus und Kirchen Roms: 1049–1130'', Tübingen: Max Niemeyer 1977.
*
Jaffé, Philipp, ''Regesta Pontificum Romanorum ab condita ecclesia ad annum p. Chr. n. 1198'' ; 2nd ed. by S. Löwenfeld, F. Kaltenbrunner, P. Ewald Vol 1. Leipzig, 1888.
* Klewitz, H. W. (1957). '' Reformpapsttum und Kardinalkolleg'', Darmstadt 1957.
* Robinson, I. S. (1990). '' The Papacy 1073–1198. Continuity and Innovations'', Cambridge University Press 1990.
*
External links
*J. P. Adams
"Sede Vacante 1118 (January 21—January 24, 1118)" in:
Notes, by J. P. Adams, on Papal Elections and Conclaves from the 11th to the 21st Centuries.'' Retrieved: 5 August 2021.
*
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