Antipope John XXIII facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Antipope John XXIII
Miniature from the Chronicle of the Council of Constance by Ulrich of Richenthal
Elected	17 May 1410
Papacy began	25 May 1410
Papacy ended	29 May 1415
Predecessor	Roman claimant: Gregory XII Antipapal claimant: Pisan Alexander V Avignonian Benedict XIII
Successor	Roman claimant: Gregory XII Antipapal claimant: Avignonian Benedict XIII Florentine Felix V
Opposed to	Roman claimant: Pope Gregory XII Antipapal (Avignon) claimant: Antipope Benedict XIII
Orders
Ordination	24 May 1410
Consecration	25 May 1410 by Jean-Allarmet de Brogny
Created Cardinal	27 February 1402
Rank	Cardinal-Deacon
Personal details
Birth name	Baldassarre Cossa
Born	c. 1365 Procida, Kingdom of Naples
Died	1419 (aged 53–54) Florence, Republic of Florence
Buried	Tomb of Antipope John XXIII
Alma mater	University of Bologna
Coat of arms
Other Popes and Antipopes named John

Baldassarre Cossa (born around 1370 – died 22 December 1419) was known as Antipope John XXIII from 1410 to 1415. He was a key figure during a confusing time in church history called the Western Schism. During this period, there was more than one person claiming to be the true pope.

The Catholic Church today considers him an antipope. This means he was not seen as the rightful leader. He was against Pope Gregory XII, who is now recognized as the true pope. He also opposed Antipope Benedict XIII, another claimant to the papacy.

Cossa was born in the Kingdom of Naples. He became a church official and later a cardinal. He played a big part in the Council of Pisa in 1408. This council tried to solve the Western Schism by electing a new pope. In 1410, he became pope himself, taking the name John XXIII.

Later, at the request of Sigismund, John called the Council of Constance in 1413. This council aimed to finally end the schism. It led to John XXIII and Benedict XIII being removed from their positions. Pope Gregory XII also agreed to step down. Finally, Pope Martin V was elected, which brought the long schism to an end.

Towards the end of his life, Cossa made peace with the Church. Pope Martin V made him a cardinal.

Early Life and Church Career

Baldassarre Cossa was born on the island of Procida. This island was part of the Kingdom of Naples. His father was Giovanni Cossa, a local lord.

He studied law at the University of Bologna. There, he earned degrees in both civil and church law. In 1392, he began working for Pope Boniface IX. He worked first in Bologna and then in Rome.

At this time, the Western Schism had already begun in 1378. This meant there were two popes at once. One was in Avignon, supported by France and Spain. The other was in Rome, supported by Italy, Germany, and England.

Cossa became a church official in Bologna in 1386. By 1396, he was an archdeacon there. In 1402, he became a Cardinal Deacon. The next year, he became a papal legate in Romagna.

Role in the Western Schism

The Western Schism was a period when several people claimed to be the true pope. This caused great confusion and division in the Christian world.

The Council of Pisa

Cardinal Cossa was one of seven cardinals who stopped supporting Pope Gregory XII in May 1408. They said Gregory had broken a promise. He had promised not to create new cardinals without asking them first.

These cardinals joined with others who followed Antipope Benedict XIII of Avignon. Together, they organized the Council of Pisa. Cossa became a very important leader at this council.

The main goal of the council was to end the schism. They decided to remove both Gregory XII and Benedict XIII from their roles. Then, they elected a new pope, Antipope Alexander V, in 1409. However, Gregory and Benedict did not accept this decision. This meant there were now three people claiming to be pope at the same time.

Becoming Pope

Alexander V died shortly after his election. On 25 May 1410, Cossa was chosen as pope. He took the name John XXIII. He had only become a bishop one day before this.

Many countries recognized John XXIII as the pope. These included France, England, Bohemia, and Portugal. Parts of the Holy Roman Empire and Italian cities like Florence and Venice also supported him.

However, the Avignon Pope Benedict XIII was still seen as pope by other kingdoms. These included Aragon, Castile, and Scotland. Gregory XII was still supported by Ladislaus of Naples and parts of Germany.

John XXIII made the Medici Bank the main bank for the papacy. This greatly helped the Medici family become rich and famous.

John's main opponent was Ladislaus of Naples. Ladislaus protected Gregory XII in Rome. After becoming pope, John spent a year in Bologna. He then joined forces with Louis II of Anjou to fight Ladislaus. They won an early battle, but Ladislaus soon took Rome back in May 1413. This forced John to escape to Florence.

In Florence, he met Sigismund, who was King of the Romans. Sigismund wanted to end the schism. He urged John to call a big church meeting, a general council. John agreed, though he first tried to have the meeting in Italy.

The Council of Constance began on 30 October 1414. During this council, Pope Gregory XII also gave his approval for the meeting. The council decided that all three popes should step down. Then, a new pope would be elected.

Escape from the Council

In March, John escaped from Constance. He dressed up like a postman to hide his identity. He traveled down the Rhine River in a boat.

There was a big uproar in Constance when people found out John had fled. Sigismund was very angry. He had hoped the council would end the schism peacefully.

Antipope John XXIII and his companion fled further down the Rhine. They went to the town of Freiburg im Breisgau. Sigismund's officer, Ludwig III, Elector Palatine, caught up with them there. He convinced John to return to Constance.

Being Removed from Office

While John was away, the council decided to remove him from his position. When he returned, he was put on trial. He was found guilty of several charges. John was then held captive for several months in Heidelberg and Mannheim.

The last remaining pope claimant in Avignon, Antipope Benedict XIII, refused to resign. He was removed from the church. In 1417, Pope Martin V was elected as the new pope. This finally brought the Western Schism to an end.

Death and Burial

Tomb of Antipope John XXIII.

Cossa was set free in 1418. The Medici family paid a large sum of money for his release. He went to Florence and accepted Pope Martin V as the true pope. Martin V then made him a cardinal. Cossa died just a few months later.

The Medici family paid for a beautiful tomb for him. It was built by famous artists Donatello and Michelozzo. His tomb is in the Battistero di San Giovanni in Florence. The inscription on his tomb reads: "John the former pope." Pope Martin V did not like this inscription, but it remained.

Fictional Depictions

John XXIII has appeared in several stories.

• He is played by Steven Waddington in the 2016 TV series Medici: Masters of Florence.
• He is also a main character in A Trembling Upon Rome by Richard Condon.
• The 1932 thriller Safe Custody by Dornford Yates mentions John.
• Russian writer Dmitry Balashov wrote a novel about him called Baltazar Kossa.

Numbering Issues

It is important not to confuse this John XXIII with Pope John XXIII of the twentieth century. When Angelo Roncalli was elected pope in 1958, he chose the name John XXIII. This helped to clear up any confusion about the numbering of popes named John. There was no Pope John XX. This number was skipped due to a mistake made by Pope John XXI in the Middle Ages.

Western Schism

See Also

In Spanish: Juan XXIII (antipapa) para niños

• Papal selection before 1059
• Papal conclave (since 1274)