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Pope Gregory XII

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Pope Gregory XII (Latin: Gregorius XII; Italian:

Gregorio XII; c. 1327 – 18 October 1417), born Pope

Angelo Corraro, Corario,[1] or Correr,[2] was Gregory XII

head of the Catholic Church from 30 November 1406 Bishop of Rome
to 4 July 1415. Reigning during the Western Schism,
he was opposed by the Avignon claimant Benedict
XIII and the Pisan claimants Alexander V and John
XXIII. Gregory XII wanted to unify the Church and
voluntarily resigned in 1415 to end the schism.[3]

Early life
Angelo Corraro was born in Venice of a noble family,
about 1327,[4] and was appointed Bishop of Castello
in 1380, succeeding Bishop Nicolò Morosini.[4]

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.[5]
Portrait of Gregory XII by van Gent and
Berruguete (c. 1476, Ducal Palace, Urbino)

Pontificate Church Catholic Church

Papacy began 30 November 1406
Gregory XII was chosen at Rome on 30 November Papacy ended 4 July 1415
1406 by a conclave consisting of only fifteen
Predecessor Innocent VII
cardinals under the express condition that, should
Antipope Benedict XIII (1394–1423), the rival papal Successor Martin V
claimant at Avignon, renounce all claim to the Opposed to Avignon claimant:
papacy, he would also renounce his, so that a fresh Benedict XIII
election might be made and the Western Schism
Pisan claimants:
(1378–1417) ended.[4]
Alexander V
John XXIII
Negotiations to end the schism
Previous Bishop of Castello (1380–
The two claimants opened wary negotiations to meet post(s) 1390)
on neutral turf at Savona in Liguria, but soon began
to waver in their resolve. The Corraro relatives of
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Gregory XII in Venice and King Ladislaus of Naples, Bishop of the Island of
a supporter of Gregory XII and his predecessor for Negrepont (1387–1390)
political reasons, used all their influence to prevent Titular Patriarch of
the meeting, and each claimant of the papal title Constantinople (1390–
feared being captured by partisans of his rival.[4] 1405)
Cardinal-Priest of San Marco
The cardinals of Gregory XII openly showed their
(1405–1406)
dissatisfaction at this manoeuvring and gave signs of
their intention to abandon him. On 4 May 1408, Bishop of Macerata-Tolentino
Gregory XII convened his cardinals at Lucca and (1415–1417)
ordered them not to leave the city under any pretext. Apostolic Administrator of
He tried to supplement his following by creating four Constantinople (1406–
of his Corraro nephews cardinals – including the 1409)
future Pope Eugene IV, despite his promise in the Cardinal-Bishop of Porto e
conclave that he would create no new cardinals. Santa Rufina (1415–1417)
Seven of the cardinals secretly left Lucca and
Orders
negotiated with the cardinals of Benedict XIII
Consecration 1390
concerning the convocation of a general council by
them, at which both Gregory XII and Benedict XIII Created 12 June 1405
should be declared deposed and a new pope elected. cardinal by Innocent VII
Consequently, they convoked the Council of Pisa and Personal details
invited both claimants to be present. Neither Born Angelo Corraro (or Corario)[1]
Gregory XII nor Benedict XIII appeared. c. 1327
Venice, Republic of Venice
Meanwhile, Gregory XII stayed in Rimini with the
family of his loyal and powerful protector, the Died 18 October 1417 (aged 89–
condottiero Carlo I Malatesta.[6] Malatesta went to 90)
Pisa in person during the process of the council to Recanati, Marche, Papal
support Gregory XII. At the fifteenth session, 5 June States
1409, the Council of Pisa declared that it deposed Coat of arms
both Gregory and Benedict as schismatical, heretical,
perjured, and scandalous; they pronounced that they
Other popes named Gregory
had elected Alexander V (1409–10) later that
month.[7] Gregory XII, who had meanwhile created
ten more cardinals, had convoked a rival council at Papal styles of
Cividale del Friuli, near Aquileia; but only a few Pope Gregory XII
bishops appeared. Gregory XII's cardinals
pronounced Benedict XIII and Alexander V
schismatics, perjurers, and devastators of the
Church, but their pronouncement went unheeded. Reference style His Holiness
Gregory XII was very saddened by the way he was Spoken style Your Holiness
treated; he also had some adventures while barely
Religious style Holy Father
escaping from enemies and former friends.[8]
Posthumous style None

Resolution of the schism

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

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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.[9] Therefore, the Papal see 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 Benedict XVI did so on 28 February 2013, almost 600 years later.[10]

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 Alexander V (1409–1410) and John XXIII (1410–1415).[11] 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".[12] 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
1. "Baynes, T. S.; Smith, W. R., eds. (1880). "Gregory XII." (https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Encyclo
p%C3%A6dia_Britannica,_Ninth_Edition/Gregory_XII.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 11
(9th ed.). New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. p. 178.
2. Miranda, Salvador (2022). "Correr, Angelo" (https://cardinals.fiu.edu/bios1405.htm#Correr).
The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church – Biographical Dictionary. Archived (https://web.archi
ve.org/web/20180115071659/http://www2.fiu.edu/~mirandas/bios1405.htm) from the original
on 15 January 2018.
3. Riccoboni, Bartolomea (2000). Life and Death in a Venetian Convent: the chronicle and
necrology of Corpus Domini, 1395–1436. Chicago & London: The University of Chicago Press.
pp. 60–63. ISBN 0-226-71789-5.
4. Ott, Michael. "Pope Gregory XII." The Catholic Encyclopedia (http://www.newadvent.org/cathe
n/07001a.htm) Vol. 7. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 30 December 2015
5. "Titular Episcopal See of Castello" (http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/former/t0424.htm).
GCatholic. 19 December 2022.
6. 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
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7. Caulfield, Philip (11 February 2013). "Pope Gregory XII, the last pope to resign, stepped down
amid the Great Western Schism in 1415" (http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/pope-grego
ry-xii-pope-resign-article-1.1260755). Daily News. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
8. Riccoboni, Bartolomea (2000). Life and Death in a Venetian Convent: the chronicle and
necrology of Corpus Domini, 1395–1436. Chicago & London: The University of Chicago Press.
pp. 57, 59. ISBN 0-226-71788-7.
9. Riccoboni, Bartolomea (2000). Life and Death in a Venetian Convent: the chronicle and
necrology of Corpus Domini, 1395–1436. Chicago & London: The University of Chicago Press.
p. 63. ISBN 0-226-71788-7.
10. "Pope Benedict XVI to resign citing poor health" (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-21411304).
BBC News. 11 February 2013.
11. Annuario pontificio per l'anno 1942. Rome. 1942. p. 21. "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"
12. "I Choose John ..." (http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,938062,00.html)
Time. 10 November 1958. p. 91.

References
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Ott, Michael
(1910). "Pope Gregory XII". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 7. New
York: Robert Appleton Company.

External links
Media related to Pope Gregory XII at Wikimedia Commons
Works by or about Gregory XII at Wikisource

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