GELASIUS II, POPE. - Giovanni di Gaeta, son of Crescenzio, duke of Fondi, was educated at Monte Cassino before becoming a monk. Around 1082, he was made cardinal of S. Maria in Cosmedin and later, in 1089, chancellor by Urban II (1088-99), archdeacon and librarian of the Holy Roman Church by Paschal II (1099-1118), with whom he remained even during the most difficult moments of the struggle against Henry V; he was one of the sixteen 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 quickly freed by the people; before his consecration, Henry V arrived in Rome. G. fled to Gaeta and, despite Henry V’s threats and promises, had himself consecrated priest and then pope (10 March 1118). Henry V opposed him with Burdin, archbishop of Braga, under the name of Gregory VIII, who on 7 April 1121 was appointed papal legate at Capua. Once the excommunication was proclaimed, Germany began to stir against the Emperor, who was forced to yield. On 5 July 1121, he re-entered Rome. Driven out again by the Frangipani (12 September 1121), he set out for France, hoping that Louis VI would act as mediator between him and the Emperor. But he died at Cluny on 29 January 1119 during the journey.