Pope Innocent II

Pope Innocent II was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1130 to his death in 1143. His election was immediately contested, leading to the eight-year Schism of 1130 against the rival Antipope Anacletus II. With the crucial support of Bernard of Clairvaux and the Holy Roman Emperor Lothair III, he eventually secured his position and presided over the important Second Council of the Lateran in 1139. His pontificate was marked by complex political struggles with the Normans of Sicily and efforts to assert papal authority across Christendom.

Early life and career

Born Gregorio Papareschi in Rome around the late 11th century, he descended from the prominent Papareschi family. He entered religious life and was created a Cardinal-Deacon of Sant'Angelo in Pescheria by Pope Paschal II around 1116. He served as a trusted legate for Pope Paschal II and his successor, Pope Gelasius II, demonstrating diplomatic skill. Under Pope Callixtus II, he was a principal negotiator of the landmark Concordat of Worms in 1122, which resolved the Investiture Controversy with Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor.

Papal election and schism

Following the death of Pope Honorius II in 1130, a faction of cardinals led by the powerful Pierleoni family hastily elected Cardinal Gregorio Papareschi, who took the name Innocent II. A larger group of cardinals, however, elected Pietro Pierleoni, who became Antipope Anacletus II, initiating the Schism of 1130. Innocent II was forced to flee Rome and seek support north of the Alps. His cause was championed by the influential Cistercian abbot Bernard of Clairvaux, who persuaded key figures like King Louis VI of France and Henry I of England to recognize Innocent. The decisive secular backing came from Lothair III, whom Innocent crowned as Holy Roman Emperor in 1133.

Pontificate

After the death of Anacletus in 1138 and the submission of his successor, Antipope Victor IV, Innocent II returned to full control of Rome. To consolidate the church after the schism, he convoked the Second Council of the Lateran in 1139, which is considered the Tenth Ecumenical Council. The council condemned the teachings of Arnold of Brescia and ratified over thirty disciplinary canons. A central political challenge was the powerful Norman ruler Roger II of Sicily, who had been crowned by Anacletus. Innocent excommunicated Roger and launched a military campaign, but was defeated and briefly captured at the Battle of Galluccio in 1139, forcing him to confirm Roger's title.

Relations with secular rulers

Innocent II's reign involved intricate alliances and conflicts with major European monarchs. His alliance with Lothair III was fundamental to overcoming the schism, though Lothair's death in 1137 weakened the imperial alliance. His relationship with France remained strong due to the advocacy of Bernard of Clairvaux and Suger of Saint-Denis. In England, he maintained good relations during the reign of Henry I and the subsequent civil war known as The Anarchy, though he clashed with King Stephen over episcopal appointments. His greatest secular struggle was with Roger II of Sicily, whose kingdom he was ultimately compelled to recognize despite initial hostility.

Death and legacy

Pope Innocent II died in Rome on 24 September 1143 and was buried in the Basilica of Saint John Lateran. His death coincided with a revolt in Rome that established the short-lived Commune of Rome, challenging papal temporal authority. His primary legacy was ending the divisive Schism of 1130 and reaffirming papal primacy through the Second Council of the Lateran. The monastic reforms championed by his supporter Bernard of Clairvaux gained significant momentum during his papacy. However, his failed war against Roger II of Sicily demonstrated the limits of papal military power and solidified Norman dominance in southern Italy.

Category:Popes Category:12th-century popes Category:Italian popes