1124 papal election


A papal election was held from 16 to 21 December 1124, after the death of Pope Callixtus II on 13 December 1124. The election was characterised by a power struggle between Italian cardinals supported by the Pierleoni family and northern cardinals supported by the Frangipani family. On 16 December the cardinals elected Theobaldo Boccapecci, the cardinal-priest of Sant'Anastasia. He chose the name Celestine II. Before his consecration, however, an armed party of the Frangipani attacked and wounded the newly elected pope. In the following confusion the Bishop of Ostia Lamberto Scannabecchi, the Frangipani's candidate was proclaimed pope under the name Honorius II. After several days of factional fighting Celestine was abandoned by his supporters. However, Honorius would not accept the throne in this manner and resigned as well. He was immediately re-elected and consecrated on 21 December 1124.

Background

Pressures building within the Curia, together with ongoing conflicts among the Roman nobility, would erupt after the death of Pope Callixtus II in 1124. The pontificates of Urban II and Paschal II had seen an expansion in the College of Cardinals of Italian clerics that strengthened the local Roman influence. These cardinals were reluctant to meet with the group of cardinals recently promoted by Callixtus II, who were mainly French or Burgundian. As far as the older cardinals were concerned, these newer cardinals were dangerous innovators, and they were determined to resist their increasing influence. The northern cardinals, led by Cardinal Aymeric de Bourgogne, were equally determined to ensure that the elected pope would be one of their candidates. Both groups looked towards the great Roman families for support.
By 1124, there were two great factions dominating local politics in Rome: the Frangipani family, which controlled the region around the fortified Colosseum and supported the northern cardinals, and the Pierleoni family, which controlled the Tiber Island and the fortress of the Theatre of Marcellus and supported the Italian cardinals. With Callixtus II's death on 13 December 1124, both families agreed that the election of the next pope should be in three days time, in accordance with the church canons. The Frangipani, led by Leo Frangipani, pushed for a delay in order that they could promote their preferred candidate, Lamberto, but the people were eager to see Saxo de Anagni, the Cardinal-Priest of San Stefano in Celiomonte elected as the next pope. Leo, eager to ensure a valid election, approached key members of every Cardinal's entourage, promising each one that he would support their master when the voting for the election was underway.

Election

On 16 December, the Cardinals, including Lamberto, assembled in the chapel of the monastery of St. Pancratius attached to the south of the Lateran basilica. There, at the suggestion of Jonathas, the cardinal-deacon of Santi Cosma e Damiano, who was a partisan of the Pierleoni family, the Cardinals unanimously elected as Pope the cardinal-priest of Sant' Anastasia, Theobaldo Boccapecci, who took the name Celestine II. He had only just put on the red mantle and the Te Deum was being sung when an armed party led by Roberto Frangipani burst in, attacked the newly enthroned Celestine, who was wounded, and acclaimed Lamberto as Pope. Since Celestine had not been formally consecrated pope, the wounded candidate declared himself willing to resign, but the Pierleoni family and their supporters refused to accept Lamberto, who in the confusion had been proclaimed Pope under the name Honorius II. Historians call the election "a travesty of canonical procedure".
Rome descended into factional infighting, while Cardinal Aymeric and Leo Frangipani attempted to win over the resistance of Urban, the City Prefect, and the Pierleoni family with bribes and extravagant promises. Eventually, Celestine's supporters abandoned him, leaving Honorius the only contender for the papal throne. Honorius, unwilling to accept the throne in such a manner, resigned his position before the assembled Cardinals, but was immediately and unanimously re-elected and consecrated on 21 December 1124.

Cardinals

The College of Cardinals probably had between 47 and 53 members. Little information is available on which Cardinals were actually present in Rome during the election.
The following table lists the Cardinals who were alive at the time of the election.
ElectorTitleElevatedElevatorNotes
CrescenzioCardinal-Bishop of Sabina1102Paschal II
Pietro SenexCardinal-Bishop of Portoc. 1106Paschal II
Lamberto ScannabecchiCardinal-Bishop of Ostia1116Paschal IIElected pope Honorius II
VitalisCardinal-Bishop of Albano1116Paschal II
GuillaumeCardinal-Bishop of Palestrinac. 1122Callixtus II
Gilles de ParisCardinal-Bishop of Tusculumc. 1122Callixtus II
BonifacioCardinal-Priest of S. Marcoc. 1100Paschal IIprior cardinalium
Gregorio de CeccanoCardinal-Priest of Ss. XII Apostolic. 1102Paschal IIFuture antipope Victor IV
BenedictCardinal-Priest of S. Pietro in Vincolic. 1102Paschal II
AnastasiusCardinal-Priest of S. Clementec. 1102Paschal II
Teobaldo BoccapecciCardinal-Priest of S. Anastasiac. 1103 or 1112Paschal IIElected pope Celestine II on 16 December, and resigned
IoannesCardinal-Priest of S. Ceciliac. 1106Paschal II
Corrado della SuburraCardinal-Priest of S. Pudenzianac. 1113Paschal IIFuture pope Anastasius IV
TeobaldoCardinal-Priest of Ss. Giovanni e Paoloc. 1117Paschal II
DeusdeditCardinal-Priest of S. Lorenzo in Damasoc. 1116Paschal II
Gregorio AlbergatiCardinal-Priest of S. Lorenzo in Lucinac. 1116Paschal II
Petrus PisanusCardinal-Priest of S. Susannac. 1116/1117Paschal II
Amico, O.S.B.Cardinal-Priest of Ss. Nereo ed Achilleo1117Paschal II
DesideriusCardinal-Priest of S. Prassedec. 1115Paschal II
Gerardo / GregorioCardinal-Priest of Ss. Prisca ed Aquilac. 1115Paschal II
SigizoCardinal-Priest of S. Sistoc. 1117Paschal II
Saxo de AnagniaCardinal-Priest of S. Stefano al Monte Celioc. 1117Paschal II
Petrus Rufus Cardinal-Priest of Ss. Silvestro e Martino1118 or 1122Gelasius II
Crescenzio di AnagniCardinal-Priest of Ss. Marcellino e Pietroc. 1121/1122 ?Calixtus II
Petrus
Cardinal-Priest of S. Marcelloc. 1120Callixtus II
Gerardo CaccianemiciCardinal-Priest of S. Croce in Gerusalemmec. 1122Callixtus IIFuture pope Lucius II
Ugo LectifredoCardinal-Priest of S. Vitale1123Callixtus II
RoscemannoCardinal-Deacon of S. Giorgio in Velabroc. 1112Paschal II
Gregorio of GaetaCardinal-Deacon of S. Lucia in Septisolioc. 1112Paschal II
Gregorio PapareschiCardinal-Deacon of S. Angelo in Pescheriac. 1088?/1116Paschal IIFuture pope Innocent II
GregorioCardinal-Deacon of S. Eustachioc. 1099 ?Paschal II
Comes / CosmaCardinal-Deacon of S. Maria in Aquiroc. 1116Paschal II
EnricoCardinal-Deacon of S. Teodoroc. 1117Paschal II
AngeloCardinal-Deacon of S. Maria in Domnicac. 1122Callixtus II
RomanoCardinal-Deacon of S. Maria in Porticoc. 1119Callixtus II
Étienne de BarCardinal-Deacon of S. Maria in Cosmedinc. 1120Callixtus II
Ionathas (Gionata)Cardinal-Deacon of Ss. Cosma e Damianoc. 1120Callixtus II
Giovanni DauferioCardinal-Deacon of S. Nicola in Carcerec. 1122Callixtus II
Gregorio TarquiniCardinal-Deacon of Ss. Sergio e Baccoc. 1122Callixtus II
Uberto LanfranchiCardinal-Deacon of S. Maria in Via Latac. 1123Callixtus II
GregorioCardinal-Deacon of Ss. Vito e Modestoc. 1122Callixtus II
MatteoCardinal-Deacon of S. Adrianoc. 1122Callixtus II
Aymeric de la ChâtreCardinal-Deacon of S. Maria Nuova1122 or 1123Callixtus IIChancellor

Absentee Cardinals

ElectorTitleElevatedElevatorNotes
Giovanni da CremaCardinal-Priest of S. Crisogonoc. 1117Paschal IIPapal legate in Scotland or England at the time of the election
Pietro PierleoniCardinal-Priest of S. Maria in Trasteverec. 1106Paschal IIPapal legate in France at the time of the election. Future antipope Anacletus II
Oderisio di SangroCardinal-Priest of S. Ciriaco in Thermisc. 1112Paschal IIAbbot of Montecassino

Works cited

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