Jean XII

Octavien ( Ottaviano ), born towards 937, dead the May 14th 964, 130 {{E}} pope under the name of Jean XII .

Resulting from a noble family of the Latium, the Counts de Tusculum, he is the only son and bastard of Albéric II of Spolète and Marousie. In 954, a few months after the death of Agapet II, Albéric makes swear with the noble Romans, brought together in the Basilique Saint-Pierre, to elect Octavien pope. One is unaware of if this last has, on this date, the necessary venerable age (it probably has 16 or 18 years) or a minimal religious formation. At the time of its dedication, the December 16th 955, it takes the name of Jean XII, thus inaugurating the medieval tradition of the name change.

Discharged, it is most scandalous of the “Jean popes”. The chroniclers generally denounce in very vigorous terms its reign, some describing it as “Antéchrist sitting in the time of God”. In fact, it devotes most of its existence to hunting, the feasts and the adventures in love. It concludes nevertheless a religious reform as well as a vigorous territorial expansion policy. Against the king of Italy, Berenger, it asks for the assistance of Otton I {{er}}, king of Germanie, and heir to rights on Italy by its marriage with Adélaïde of Burgundy. Jean XII crowns it emperor the February 2nd 962. In exchange, after grinds negotiations, Otton grants the Privilegium Ottonianum , confirmation of the Donation of Pip: the Emperor recognizes the Papal States (wide until the Byzantine areas) in exchange of an oath of fidelity of the pope, freely elected, with the imperial representatives.

The seizure of Otton however obstructs Jean XII, who ties contacts with Adalbert, wire of Berenger, like with Byzance: it takes again the tradition, abandoned as of Adrien I {{er}} (772 - 795), to go back its acts as from the years to reign of the Byzantine emperors. Furious, Otton returns to Rome and Jean must flee. The Emperor convenes a synod which considers the pope guilty of Apostasie, of homicide, perjury and Inceste. He deposits it the December 4th 963, which constitutes an innovation for an assembly of bishop S. Jean XII is replaced by laic, the Protoscriniaire, which takes the name of Leon VIII. Otton modifies its privilege: from now on, the pontifical election must be sanctioned by imperial approval.

After the departure of Otton, Jean XII manages to take again Rome. He organizes itself a Concile with the beginning of the year 964, which breaks the decisions of the Roman synod, declares illegitimate and excommunicates Leon VIII. In an ultimate reversal, it then tries to approach Otton. He dies the May 14th 964. According to divergent traditions, it would have been beaten with died by a jealous husband, or would have succumbed to an apoplexy in full adultery. The chronicler Liutprand de Crémone for its part allots this sudden death to a blow inflicted by the Diable in person.

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Jean XII

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