JOHN XII, Pope. - A Roman, elected on 16 Dec. 955, d. 14 May 964. Octavian, son of Alberic, had been designated at a very young age, by the will of his father, by the clergy and people of Rome to succeed Agapetus II, while the latter was still alive. On the death of Alberic (954), he inherited his civil power; on the death of the Pope, changing his name by a new precedent, he gathered the religious power as well into his own hands. But he appeared a great worldly lord rather than a pontiff. Nor did he show political judgment. He attempted, in alliance with the duke of Spoleto, an unsuccessful expedition against Benevento and Capua. Made suspicious by the interference of the kings of Italy Berengar II and Adalbert in the duchy of Spoleto and in Romagna, or perhaps forced by a faction favorable to Otto king of Germany, he invoked his help, and, after having obtained from him the promise to respect the rights and promote the interests of the Church and of its head, he crowned him emperor (2 Feb. 962), thus initiating what was later called the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation. The agreements between the Pope and the Emperor were consecrated in the Privilegium Othonis (13 Feb. 962).
According to the text that is now available, probably altered, the Emperor confirmed, at least formally, the donations of Pepin and Charlemagne, comprising a great part of Italy; but the Romans had to swear not to permit the pontiff to be consecrated before he had taken an oath of fidelity to the emperor: Liutprand indeed affirms that the Pope and the Romans promised that not even the election would be made without imperial consent.
After the Emperor returned to northern Italy, J. entered into negotiations with Adalbert and, it was said, with the Byzantine Emperor and the Hungarians. Then Otto returned to Rome, from which the Pontiff had fled, and convened (6 Nov. 963) a synod, which he presided over: J., charged with incredible accusations and summoned to clear himself, threatened excommunication, but was deposed (4 Dec.) and replaced by a layman, Leo VIII, who confirmed the promise made by the Romans not to elect a pope without consent, or perhaps without imperial designation. But, once the Emperor had left, J. came out of his retreat in Campania, re-entered Rome, took harsh vengeance on his adversaries, and had the acts of the imperial synod annulled by a new synod (Feb. 964). He died suddenly, while Otto was about to march on Rome.
It should be noted, even in this sad pontificate, that there was a vigorous affirmation of pontifical authority and office: in a bull of the first months of J. XII, it is said that the Pope, "totius christianitatis post Dominum caput," desires "ut Ecclesia omnibus et cuncto christiano populo pax et honor unicuique proprius maneat."
Bibliography13 works
G. Battista Picotti