GIOVANNI, abbot of STRUMI. — He died on 20 Sept. 1168. During the struggle between Frederick Barbarossa and Alexander III, the German circles sought to prolong the schism, and the abbot G. of S. was appointed, taking the name of Callistus III.
Soon after, the Emperor carried out his fifth expedition into Italy. This was followed by the victory of the Lombard League at Legnano and the Peace of Venice (1177). The antipope, who had led a wretched life with his small court, serving merely as a pawn in Barbarossa’s game, was declared deposed; he attempted to resist, but even the imperial forces turned against him, and, besieged in Viterbo by Christian of Mainz, he was forced to submit publicly to Alexander at Tusculum at the end of August 1178. He owed his life to the Pope’s clemency, being allowed to end his days as governor of Benevento.
GIOVANNI, ABATE DI STRUMI
BIBL.: I. M. Waterrich, *Pontificum Romanorum Vitae*, II, Leipzig 1862, pp. 377 ff.; H. Reuter, *Gesch. Alexanders d. Dritten u. d. Kirche seiner Zeit*, 2nd ed., Leipzig 1860–64, see index; F. Gregorovius, *Storia della città di Roma nel medioevo*, II, 1st ed., Rome 1900, pp. 578 ff.