Antipope Anacletus II

Antipope

Anacletus II
Papacy began1130
Papacy endedJanuary 25, 1138
PredecessorRoman claimant:
Honorius II
Antipapal claimant:
Celestine II
SuccessorRoman claimant:
Innocent II
Antipapal claimant:
Victor IV
Opposed toPope Innocent II
Personal details
Born
Pietro Pierleoni
DiedJanuary 25, 1138
Rome
ResidenceRome
ParentsPier Leoni

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 successor. Unusually, the election was entrusted to eight cardinals, who elected Papareschi (Innocent II). A larger body of cardinals then elected Pierleoni, which led to a major schism in the Roman Catholic Church. Anacletus had the support of most Romans, including the Frangipani family, and Innocent was forced to flee to France. North of the Alps, Innocent gained the crucial support of the major religious orders, in particular Bernard of Clairvaux's Cistercians, the Abbot of Cluny Peter the Venerable; and Norbert of Xanten, the Archbishop of Magdeburg who established the Premonstratensians and held a high rank in the court of the German Emperor Lothar III.

The lack of support from these key figures left Anacletus with few patrons outside of Rome. Anacletus, with little remaining support, lived for several years and died with the crisis unresolved. In 1139 the second Lateran Council ended the schism, although opinion remained divided.[1]

  1. ^ George L. Williams, Papal Genealogy: The Families and Descendants of the Popes, (McFarland & Company, Inc., 1998), p. 24