Gelasius II, Pope

GELASIUS II, Pope. - Giovanni of Gaeta, son of Crescenzio, duke of Fondi, was educated at Montecassino and was a monk there. Around 1082, he was made cardinal of S. Maria in Cosmedin and then, in 1089, chancellor by Urban II (1188-99), archdeacon and librarian of the Holy Roman Church by Paschal II (1099-1118), at whose side he remained even in the harshest moments of the struggle against Henry V: he was one of the 16 cardinals taken prisoner by the latter in the coup of 13 February 1111. Three days after the death of Paschal II, he was elected to succeed him (24 January 1118).

On the same day he was arrested by Cencio Frangipani, but was soon freed by the people; before the consecration, Henry V arrived in Rome. G. fled to Gaeta and, despite the threats and promises of Henry V, had himself consecrated priest and then pope (9-10 March). Henry V opposed to him Burdino, archbishop of Braga, under the name Gregory VIII, whom G. II excommunicated together with Henry V on 7 April in a synod held at Capua. Once the excommunication was promulgated, Germany immediately began to stir against the Emperor, who had to hasten there. On 3 July G. re-entered Rome. Driven out again by the Frangipani (2 September 1118), he left for France, hoping that Louis VI might be induced to become a mediator of peace between him and the Emperor. But during the journey he died at Cluny on 29 January 1119.

Ireneo Daniele