Editing Pope Gregory XII

{{Short description|Head of the Catholic Church from 1406 to 1415}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
|type= Pope
|honorific-prefix= [[List of popes|Pope]]
|name=Gregory XII
|title = [[Bishop of Rome]]
|image = Joos Van Wassenhove e Pedro Berruguete – San Gregorio – Galleria Nazionale delle Marche.jpg
|caption = Portrait of Gregory XII by [[Justus van Gent|van Gent]] and [[Pedro Berruguete|Berruguete]] <small>({{circa|1476}}, [[Ducal Palace, Urbino|Ducal Palace]], [[Urbino]])</small>
|birth_name=Angelo Corraro (or Corario)<ref name=eb9/>
|church = [[Catholic Church]]
|term_start=30 November 1406
|term_end=4 July 1415
|predecessor=[[Innocent VII]]
|successor=[[Martin V]]
|opposed= ''Avignon claimant:''{{plainlist|style=margin-bottom:0.5em|
*[[Antipope Benedict XIII|Benedict XIII]]}}''Pisan claimants:'' {{plainlist|
*[[Antipope Alexander V|Alexander V]]
*[[Antipope John XXIII|John XXIII]]}}
|ordination =
|ordinated_by =
|consecration = 1390
|consecrated_by =
|cardinal = 12 June 1405
|created_cardinal_by = [[Innocent VII]]
|coat_of_arms=C o a Gregorio XII.svg
|birth_date={{circa|1327}}
|birth_place= [[Venice]], [[Republic of Venice]]
|death_date=18 October 1417 (age 89-90)
|death_place=[[Recanati]], [[Marche]], [[Papal States]]
|previous_post={{Indented plainlist|
*Bishop of Castello (1380–1390)
*Bishop of the Island of Negrepont (1387–1390)
*[[Latin Patriarch of Constantinople|Titular Patriarch of Constantinople]] (1390–1405)
*[[San Marco Evangelista al Campidoglio, Rome|Cardinal-Priest of San Marco]] (1405–1406)
*[[Bishop of Macerata-Tolentino]] (1415–1417)
*Apostolic Administrator of Constantinople (1406–1409)
*[[Cardinal-Bishop of Porto e Santa Rufina]] (1415–1417)}}
|other=Gregory}}
{{Infobox popestyles
|image            = File: C o a Gregorio XII.svg
|dipstyle         = [[His Holiness]]
|offstyle         = Your Holiness
|relstyle         = Holy Father
|deathstyle       = None
}}
'''Pope Gregory XII''' ({{langx|la|Gregorius XII}}; {{langx|it|Gregorio XII}}; {{circa|lk=no|1327}}&nbsp;– 18 October 1417), born '''Angelo Corraro''', '''Corario''',<ref name=eb9>"{{Cite EB9|wstitle=Gregory XII.|volume=11|page=178}}</ref> or '''Correr''',<ref>{{cite dictionary| last=Miranda | first=Salvador | title=Correr, Angelo|dictionary=The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church – Biographical Dictionary|year=2022| url=https://cardinals.fiu.edu/bios1405.htm#Correr| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180115071659/http://www2.fiu.edu/~mirandas/bios1405.htm | archive-date=15 January 2018 | url-status=live}}</ref> was head of the [[Catholic Church]] from 30 November 1406 to 4 July 1415. Reigning during the [[Western Schism]], he was opposed by the Avignon claimant [[Antipope Benedict XIII|Benedict XIII]] and the [[Council of Pisa|Pisan]] claimants [[Antipope Alexander V|Alexander V]] and [[Antipope John XXIII|John XXIII]]. Gregory XII wanted to unify the Church and voluntarily resigned in 1415 to end the schism.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Riccoboni|first=Bartolomea|title=Life and Death in a Venetian Convent: the chronicle and necrology of Corpus Domini, 1395–1436|publisher=The University of Chicago Press|year=2000|isbn=0-226-71789-5|location=Chicago & London|pages=60–63}}</ref>

==Early life==
Angelo Corraro was born in Venice of a noble family, about 1327, son of Niccolò di Pietro [[Correr]] and wife Polissena,<ref name=ott/> and was appointed [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Castello|Bishop of Castello]] in 1380, succeeding Bishop Nicolò Morosini.<ref name=ott>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07001a.htm Ott, Michael. "Pope Gregory XII." The Catholic Encyclopedia] Vol. 7. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 30 December 2015</ref> He was uncle of cardinal [[Antonio Correr (cardinal)|Antonio Correr]] and cardinal Gabriele Condulmer, future [[Pope Eugene IV]].

On 1 December 1390, he was made titular [[Latin Patriarch of Constantinople]]. On 12 June 1405, he was created cardinal and the Cardinal-Priest of San Marco by [[Pope Innocent VII]]. He was Apostolic Administrator of Constantinople from 30 November 1406 to 23 October 1409.<ref>{{cite web|ref={{harvid|Titular Episcopal See of Castello: GCatholic}}|url=http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/former/t0424.htm |title=Titular Episcopal See of Castello|date=19 December 2022|work=GCatholic}}</ref>

==Pontificate==
{{Main|1406 papal conclave}}
Gregory XII was chosen at Rome on 30 November 1406 by a [[1406 papal conclave|conclave]] consisting of only fifteen cardinals under the express condition that, should [[Antipope Benedict XIII]] (1394–1423), the rival papal claimant at [[Avignon]], renounce all claim to the [[papacy]], he would also renounce his, so that a fresh election might be made and the [[Western Schism]] (1378–1417) ended.<ref name=ott/>

===Negotiations to end the schism===
The two claimants opened wary negotiations to meet on neutral turf at [[Savona]] in Liguria, but soon began to waver in their resolve. The Corraro relatives of Gregory XII in [[Venice]] and King [[Ladislaus of Naples]], a supporter of Gregory XII and his predecessor for political reasons, used all their influence to prevent the meeting, and each claimant of the papal title feared being captured by partisans of his rival.<ref name=ott/>

The cardinals of Gregory XII openly showed their dissatisfaction at this manoeuvring and gave signs of their intention to abandon him. On 4 May 1408, Gregory XII convened his [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|cardinals]] at [[Lucca]] and ordered them not to leave the city under any pretext. He tried to supplement his following by creating four of his Corraro nephews cardinals – including the future [[Pope Eugene IV]], despite his promise in the conclave that he would create no new cardinals. Seven of the cardinals secretly left Lucca and negotiated with the cardinals of Benedict XIII concerning the convocation of a general council by them, at which both Gregory XII and Benedict XIII should be declared deposed and a new pope elected. Consequently, they convoked the [[Council of Pisa]] and invited both claimants to be present. Neither Gregory XII nor Benedict XIII appeared.

Meanwhile, Gregory XII stayed in [[Rimini]] with the family of his loyal and powerful protector, the [[condottiero]] [[Carlo I Malatesta]].<ref>Creighton, Mandell (1907). ''A History of the Papacy from the Great Schism to the Sack of Rome''. Volume I. London: Longmans, Green, and Company. p. 223 {{ISBN?}}</ref> Malatesta went to Pisa in person during the process of the council to support Gregory XII. At the fifteenth session, 5 June 1409, the Council of Pisa declared that it deposed both Gregory and Benedict as schismatical, heretical, perjured, and scandalous; they pronounced that they had elected [[Antipope Alexander V|Alexander V]] (1409–10) later that month.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/pope-gregory-xii-pope-resign-article-1.1260755 | last=Caulfield | first=Philip | title=Pope Gregory XII, the last pope to resign, stepped down amid the Great Western Schism in 1415 | newspaper=Daily News | date=11 February 2013 | access-date=23 April 2017 }}</ref> Gregory XII, who had meanwhile created ten more cardinals, had convoked a [[Council of Aquileia, 1409|rival council]] at [[Cividale del Friuli]], near [[Aquileia]]; but only a few bishops appeared. Gregory XII's cardinals pronounced Benedict XIII and Alexander V schismatics, perjurers, and devastators of the Church, but their pronouncement went unheeded. Gregory XII was very saddened by the way he was treated; he also had some adventures while barely escaping from enemies and former friends.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Riccoboni|first=Bartolomea|title=Life and Death in a Venetian Convent: the chronicle and necrology of Corpus Domini, 1395–1436|publisher=The University of Chicago Press|year=2000|isbn=0-226-71788-7|location=Chicago & London|pages=57, 59}}</ref>

===Resolution of the schism===
The [[Council of Constance]] finally resolved the situation. Gregory XII appointed Carlo Malatesta and Cardinal [[Giovanni Dominici]] of [[Ragusa, Sicily|Ragusa]] as his proxies. The cardinal then convoked the council and authorized its succeeding acts, thus preserving the formulas of [[papal supremacy]].

Thereupon on 4 July 1415, Gregory XII's resignation was pronounced in his name by Malatesta and accepted by the cardinals. As they had agreed previously, they retained all the cardinals created by Gregory XII, thus satisfying the Corraro clan, and appointed Gregory XII [[Bishop of Frascati]], [[Dean of the College of Cardinals]] and perpetual legate at [[Ancona]]. The Council then set aside [[Antipope John XXIII]] (1410–15), the successor of Alexander V. After the former follower of Benedict XIII appeared, the council declared him deposed, ending the Western Schism. A new Roman pontiff, [[Martin V]], was elected ''after'' the death of Gregory XII, which many took as an indication that Gregory had been the true pope.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Riccoboni|first=Bartolomea|title=Life and Death in a Venetian Convent: the chronicle and necrology of Corpus Domini, 1395–1436|publisher=The University of Chicago Press|year=2000|isbn=0-226-71788-7|location=Chicago & London|pages=63}}</ref> Therefore, [[sede vacante|the papacy was vacant]] for two years.

==Retirement and death==
The rest of the life of the former pope was spent in peaceful obscurity in [[Ancona]]. He was the last pope to resign until [[Pope Benedict XVI|Benedict XVI]] did so on 28 February 2013, almost 600 years later.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-21411304 |title=Pope Benedict XVI to resign citing poor health |publisher=BBC News |date=2013-02-11}}</ref>

==Historiography==
The ''[[Annuario Pontificio]]'' has historically recognized the decisions of the [[Council of Pisa]] (1409). Until the mid-20th century, the ''Annuario Pontificio'' listed Gregory XII's reign as 1406–1409, followed by [[Antipope Alexander V|Alexander V]] (1409–1410) and [[Antipope John XXIII|John XXIII]] (1410–1415).<ref>{{cite book |title=Annuario pontificio per l'anno 1942 |date=1942 |location=Rome |page=21 |quote=205. Gregorio XII, Veneto, Correr (c. 1406, cessò a. 1409, m. 1417) – Pont. a. 2, m. 6. g. 4. 206. Alessandro V, dell'Isola di Candia, Filargo (c. 1409, m. 1410). – Pont. m. 10, g. 8. 207. Giovanni XXII o XXIII o XXIV, Napoletano, Cossa (c. 1410, cesso dal pontificare 29 mag. 1415}}</ref> However, the [[Western Schism]] was reinterpreted when [[Pope John XXIII]] (1958–1963) chose to reuse the ordinal XXIII, citing "twenty-two Johns of indisputable legitimacy".<ref>{{cite magazine |title=I Choose John ... |url=http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,938062,00.html |magazine=Time |date=10 November 1958 | page=91}}</ref> This is reflected in modern editions of the ''Annuario Pontificio'', which extend Gregory XII's reign to 1415. Alexander V and the first John XXIII are now considered to be antipopes.

==See also==
* [[Cardinals created by Gregory XII]]
* [[Papal resignation]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* {{CE1913|last=Ott |first=Michael |wstitle=Pope Gregory XII|volume=7}}

==External links==
*{{commons category-inline|Gregorius XII|Pope Gregory XII}}
*{{wikisource author-inline}}

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{{s-vac|last=[[Paul Palaiologos Tagaris]]}}
{{s-tul|title= [[Latin Patriarch of Constantinople]]|years=1390–1405}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Louis of Mytilene]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Pope Innocent VII|Innocent VII]]}}
{{s-ttl|title= [[List of popes|Pope]]|years=30 November 1406 – 4 July 1415 <br><small>Avignon claimant: [[Antipope Benedict XIII|Benedict XIII]] <br> Pisan claimants: [[Antipope Alexander V|Alexander V]] & [[Antipope John XXIII|John XXIII]]</small>}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Pope Martin V|Martin V]]}}
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{{Western Schism timeline}}
{{WesternSchism|state=expanded}}
{{Popes}}
{{Catholicism}}
{{History of the Catholic Church}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gregory 12}}
[[Category:14th-century births]]
[[Category:1417 deaths]]
[[Category:Popes]]
[[Category:Correr family]]
[[Category:Cardinal-bishops of Frascati]]
[[Category:Cardinal-bishops of Porto]]
[[Category:Latin Patriarchs of Constantinople]]
[[Category:Deans of the College of Cardinals]]
[[Category:Western Schism]]
[[Category:15th-century Italian Roman Catholic bishops]]
[[Category:14th-century Venetian people]]
[[Category:15th-century Venetian people]]
[[Category:Popes who abdicated]]
[[Category:15th-century popes]]
[[Category:Popes from Venice]]