1130 papal election
The 1130 papal election was convoked after the death of Pope Honorius II and resulted in a double election. Part of the cardinals, led by Cardinal-Chancellor Aymeric de la Chatre, elected Gregorio Papareschi as Pope Innocent II, but the rest of them refused to recognize him and elected Cardinal Pietro Pierleoni, who took the name of Anacletus II. Although Anacletus had the support of the majority of the cardinals, the Catholic Church considers Innocent II as the legitimate Pope, and Anacletus II as Antipope.
The double election was a result of the growing tensions inside the College of Cardinals concerning the policy of the Holy See towards the Holy Roman Empire, initiated by the Concordat of Worms, which ended the investiture controversy. Several, particularly older, cardinals considered the compromise achieved in Worms as desertion of the principles of the Gregorian Reform, and inclined to accept it only as a tactical move. They supported the traditional alliance of the Papacy with the Normans in southern Italy. Some of them were connected to old monastic centers in Southern Italy such as Montecassino. One of their leaders was Cardinal Pierleoni, representative of one of the most powerful families of Rome.
The opposite faction was headed by Aymeric de la Chatre, who was named cardinal and chancellor of the Holy See shortly after signing the Concordat of Worms and was one of the main architects of the new policy. He and his adherents looked at the compromise as a good solution both for the Church and the Emperor, and did not trust the Norman vassals of the Holy See, who expressed some expansionist tendencies. It seems that at least some major representatives of this faction had strong connections to the "new spirituality", meaning the new religious orders such as regular canons. Besides, they were allied with the Roman family of Frangipani, opponents of the Pierleoni family.
In the last weeks of the lifetime of Pope Honorius II the cardinals, fearing the possible schism, made an agreement that the new pope would be elected by the commission of eight of them, including two cardinal-bishops, three cardinal-priests and three cardinal-deacons.
Cardinals
The College of Cardinals had probably 43 members in February 1130. It seems that no more than 37 were present at Rome on the death of Honorius II:| Elector | Faction | Cardinalatial Title | Elevated | Elevator | Notes |
| Pietro Senex | Anacletan | Bishop of Porto | 1102 | Paschalis II | Dean of the College of Cardinals |
| Guillaume | Innocentine | Bishop of Palestrina | March 1123 | Callixtus II | Committee member |
| Matthieu, O.S.B.Cluny | Innocentine | Bishop of Albano | December 1126 | Honorius II | |
| Giovanni of Camaldoli, O.S.B.Cam. | Innocentine | Bishop of Ostia | December 1126 | Honorius II | |
| Corrado della Suburra | Innocentine | Bishop of Sabina | 1113/14 | Paschalis II | Committee member; future Pope Anastasius IV |
| Bonifacio | Anacletan | Priest of S. Marco | ca. 1100 | Paschalis II | Protopriest |
| Gregorio de Ceccano | Anacletan | Priest of SS. XII Apostoli | ca. 1102 | Paschalis II | Future Antipope Victor IV |
| Pietro Pierleoni, O.S.B.Cluny | Anacletan | Priest of S. Maria in Trastevere | 1111/12 | Paschalis II | Committee member; elected Pope Anacletus II |
| Pietro Pisano | Anacletan | Priest of S. Susanna | 1112/13 | Paschalis II | Committee member |
| Desiderio | Anacletan | Priest of S. Prassede | 1115 | Paschalis II | |
| Giovanni Cremense | Innocentine | Priest of S. Crisogono | ca. 1116/17 | Paschalis II | |
| Saxo de Anagni | Anacletan | Priest of S. Stefano in Celiomonte | 1117 | Paschalis II | |
| Crescenzio di Anagni | Anacletan | Priest of SS. Marcellino e Pietro | 1117 | Paschalis II | |
| Sigizo | Anacletan | Priest of S. Sisto | 1117 or 1120 | Paschalis II | |
| Pietro Ruffino | Innocentine | Priest of SS. Silvestro e Martino | March 1118 | Gelasius II | Committee member; nephew of Paschalis II |
| Pietro | Anacletan | Priest of S. Marcello | 1120 | Callixtus II | |
| Gerardo Caccianemici, C.R.S.F. | Innocentine | Priest of S. Croce in Gerusalemme | March 1123 | Callixtus II | Future Pope Lucius II |
| Matteo | Anacletan | Priest of S. Pietro in Vincoli | March 1123 | Callixtus II | |
| Comes | Anacletan | Priest of S. Sabina | March 1123 | Callixtus II | Several sources erroneously identify him with Cardinal-Deacon Comes of S. Maria in Aquiro |
| Gregorio | Anacletan | Priest of S. Balbina | 1125 | Honorius II | |
| Alderico | Anacletan | Priest of SS. Giovanni e Paolo | 1125 | Honorius II | |
| Petrus | Innocentine | Priest of S. Anastasia | 1126 | Honorius II | |
| Anselmo | Innocentine | Priest of S. Lorenzo in Lucina | 1127/28 | Honorius II | |
| Lectifredo | Anacletan | Priest of S. Vitale | ca. 1128 | Honorius II | |
| Joselmo | Innocentine | Priest of S. Cecilia | 1128/29 | Honorius II | |
| Enrico | Anacletan | Priest of S. Prisca | 1129 | Honorius II | Several sources indicate that he was created only by Anacletus II |
| Gregorio, O.S.B. | Anacletan | Deacon of S. Eustachio | Before 1110 | Paschalis II | Protodeacon |
| Gregorio Papareschi, C.R.Lat. | Innocentine | Deacon of S. Angelo in Pescheria | 1115/16 | Paschalis II | Committee member; elected Pope Innocent II |
| Romano | Innocentine | Deacon of S. Maria in Portico | 1119 | Callixtus II | |
| Gionata | Anacletan | Deacon of SS. Cosma e Damiano | December 1120 | Callixtus II | Committee member |
| Angelo | Anacletan | Deacon of S. Maria in Domnica | March 1123 | Callixtus II | |
| Giovanni Dauferio | Anacletan | Deacon of S. Nicola in Carcere | March 1123 | Callixtus II | |
| Gregorio Tarquini | Innocentine | Deacon of SS. Sergio e Bacco | March 1123 | Callixtus II | |
| Aymeric de la Chatre, C.R.S.M.R. | Innocentine | Deacon of S. Maria Nuova | March 1123 | Callixtus II | Committee member; Chancellor of the Holy Roman Church |
| Stefano Stornato | Anacletan | Deacon of S. Lucia in Orthea | 1125 | Honorius II | |
| Alberto Teodoli | Innocentine | Deacon of S. Teodoro | September 1127 | Honorius II | |
| Guido del Castello | Innocentine | Deacon of S. Maria in Via Lata | ca. 1128/29 | Honorius II | Future Pope Celestine II |
Probably six cardinals were absent from Rome:
| Elector | Faction | Cardinalatial Title | Elevated | Elevator | Notes |
| Gilles of Paris, O.S.B.Cluny | Anacletan | Bishop of Tusculum | March 1123 | Callixtus II | Papal legate in Outremer |
| Guido | Innocentine | Bishop of Tivoli | ca. 1124 | Callixtus II | |
| Amico, O.S.B.Cas. | Anacletan | Priest of SS. Nereo ed Achilleo | 1117 | Paschalis II | Abbot of S. Vincenzo al Volturno near Capua |
| Uberto Lanfranchi | Innocentine | Priest of S. Clemente | March 1123 | Callixtus II | Papal legate in Spain; future Archbishop of Pisa |
| Rustico | Innocentine | Priest of S. Ciriaco | 1128 | Honorius II | Archpriest of the Vatican Basilica; papal legate in Upper Italy |
| Oderisio de Sangro, O.S.B.Cas. | Anacletan | Deacon of S. Agata | 1111/12 | Paschalis II | Former Abbot of Montecassino |
Preparations for the election
Both parties of the College of Cardinals were of almost an equal size. The party of Aymeric had 19 members, while that of his opponents 24, but the party of the Chancellor was certainly better organized.One of the undeniable aspects of that division is that the Anacletans were mainly older cardinals, veterans of the investiture controversy, created either by Paschalis II or early in the pontificate of Callixtus II, while Innocentine cardinals with few exceptions were created after Concordat of Worms, which established peace with the Emperor. Out of nineteen cardinals created before 1122, only five supported the Chancellor, while out of twenty four appointed from that time onwards as many as fourteen. The other possible reasons for such radical tensions in the College are widely discussed by historians without final conclusion.
In the elected committee the party of Aymeric had 5 members out 8. This was due to the way of their election – each of the three cardinalatial orders had to elect their own representatives. Although adherents of Aymeric were in the minority in the whole College, they had a majority among cardinal-bishops and cardinal-deacons, while their opponents were mainly cardinal-priests. Therefore, the faction of the Chancellor acquired a majority in the electoral body
The following cardinals were elected to the committee :
- Cardinal-Bishops
- *Guillaume, Bishop of Palestrina
- *Corrado della Suburra, Bishop of Sabina
- Cardinal-Priests
- *Pietro Pierleoni, O.S.B.Cluny, Priest of S. Maria in Trastevere †
- *Pietro Pisano, Priest of S. Susanna †
- *Pietro Ruffino, Priest of SS. Silvestro e Martino
- Cardinal-Deacons
- *Gregorio Papareschi, C.R.L., Deacon of S. Angelo in Pescheria
- *Aymeric de la Chatre, C.R.S.M.R., Deacon of S. Maria Nuova and Chancellor of the Holy See
- *Gionata, Deacon of SS. Cosma e Damiano †
Death of Honorius II and the election of Innocent II
The election of Anacletus II
The majority of the cardinals, however, did not recognize Innocent II under the influence of Pietro Pisano, who, as a distinguished canonist, declared that his election was invalid. On February 14 in the morning the opponents of Aymeric and his candidate assembled under the leadership of Pietro Pierleoni in the church of S. Marco to elect the new Pope. Initially, Cardinal Pierleoni proposed the election of the Dean of the College Pietro Senex of Porto, but he refused to accept the papal dignity. Then the cardinals unanimously elected Pierleoni himself, who took the name of Anacletus II.It is not known how many cardinals elected Anacletus II. The decree proclaiming his election issued on the same day was subscribed by 14 cardinals:
- Bishop Pietro Senex of Porto,
- Priests Gregorio de Ceccano of SS. Apostoli, Saxo of S. Stefano, Pietro of S. Marcello, Comes of S. Sabina, Gregorio of S. Balbina, Crescenzio of SS. Marcellino e Pietro, Lectifredo of S. Vitale, Pietro Pisano of S. Susanna, Matteo of S. Pietro in Vincoli and Enrico of S. Prisca,
- Deacons Gregorio of S. Eustachio, Gionata of SS. Cosma e Damiano and Angelo of S. Maria in Domnica.
Division of the College of Cardinals
The double election resulted with the open split of the College of Cardinals into two parties. Their compositions can be established in the following way:- Liber Pontificalis mentions the names of 16 cardinals who supported Innocent II from the very beginning. To them should be added two other cardinals, whose attitude is attested by the fact that they subscribed the bulls of Innocent II.
- The obedience of Anacletus II may be reconstructed basing on the letter addressed to king Lothair III of Germany by his cardinals soon after his coronation. This letter bears the subscriptions of 27 cardinals, including five created by Anacletus II on February 21, a Friday of the ember week. To them should be added also cardinal Oderisio of S. Agata, who later subscribed the bulls issued by Anacletus II.
The Innocentine cardinals, who are not mentioned by Liber Pontificalis, and the Anacletan, who did not subscribe the letter to king Lothair, are denoted with †.
| Obedience of Innocent II | Obedience of Anacletus II |
| 1. Guillaume, bishop of Palestrina 2. Giovanni of Camaldoli, O.S.B.Cam., bishop of Ostia 3. Matthieu, O.S.B.Cluny, bishop of Albano 4. Corrado della Suburra, bishop of Sabina 5. Guido, bishop of Tivoli † 6. Giovanni Cremense, priest of S. Crisogono 7. Pietro Ruffino, priest of SS. Silvestro e Martino 8. Gerardo Caccianemici, C.R.S.F., priest of S. Croce in Gerusalemme 9. Uberto Lanfranchi, priest of S. Clemente 10. Pierre, priest of S. Anastasia 11. Anselmo, priest of S. Lorenzo in Lucina 12. Joselmo, priest of S. Cecilia 13. Rustico, priest of S. Ciriaco † 14. Romano, deacon of S. Maria in Portico 15. Gregorio Tarquini, deacon of SS. Sergio e Bacco 16. Aymeric, C.R.S.M.R., deacon of S. Maria Nuova 17. Alberto Teodoli, deacon of S. Teodoro 18. Guido del Castello, deacon of S. Maria in Via Lata | 1. Pietro Senex, bishop of Porto 2. Gilles de Paris, O.S.B.Cluny, bishop of Tusculum 3. Bonifazio, priest of S. Marco 4. Gregorio de Ceccano, priest of SS. XII Apostoli 5. Comes, priest of S. Sabina 6. Pietro Pisano, priest of S. Susanna 7. Desiderio, priest of S. Prassede 8. Amico, O.S.B.Cas., priest of SS. Nereo ed Achilleo 9. Sasso de’ Anagni, priest of S. Stefano al Monte Celio 10. Sigizo, priest of S. Sisto 11. Crescenzio di Anagni, priest of SS. Marcellino e Pietro 12. Pietro, priest of S. Marcello 13. Matteo, priest of S. Pietro in Vincoli 14. Gregorio, priest of S. Balbina 15. Alderico, priest of SS. Giovanni e Paolo 16. Lectifredo, priest of S. Vitale 17. Enrico, priest of S. Prisca 18. Gregorio, O.S.B., deacon of S. Eustachio 19. Oderisio di Sangro, O.S.B.Cas., deacon of S. Agata † 20. Gionata, deacon of SS. Cosma e Damiano 21. Angelo, deacon of S. Maria in Domnica 22. Giovanni Dauferio, deacon of S. Nicola in Carcere 23. Stefano Stornato, deacon of S. Lucia in Orthea New cardinals elevated on February 21, 1130: 1. Pietro, priest of S. Eusebio 2. Gregorio, deacon of S. Maria in Aquiro 3. Hermann, deacon of S. Angelo in Pescheria 4. Silvio, deacon of S. Lucia in Septisolio 5. Romano, deacon of S. Adriano |
Stefano Stornato joined the obedience of Innocent II no later than 1132; Lectifredo of S. Vitale and Giovanni Dauferio did the same in 1133, Pietro Pisano in 1137, and Desiderio of S. Prassede shortly before the end of the schism in 1138. It seems that ca. 1135 Comes of S. Sabina also abandoned Anacletus II.
The schism
Both popes were consecrated and crowned on the same day, February 23. Innocent II received episcopal consecration from Cardinal Giovanni of Ostia in the church S. Maria Nuova, the titular deaconry of Chancellor Aymeric. Anacletus II was consecrated by Cardinal Pietro of Porto in the Vatican Basilica, which means that Anacletus took the advantage in the city from the very beginning. Almost all Roman aristocracy, the majority of the lesser clergy and the people of Rome recognized Anacletus II and at the end of May Innocent II had to flee to France. After his defection to France even the Frangipani submitted to Anacletus.In France, however, Innocent II found a strong ally in the person of Bernard of Clairvaux. Under Bernard’s influence, almost all European monarchs and episcopates recognized the exiled Innocent II. Anacletus II, although he controlled Rome and the Patrimony of St. Peter, received the support only of the Normans of southern Italy, Scotland, Aquitaine, some cities in northern Italy, and perhaps Outremer and probably also Poland.
Both elections were irregular, because they contradicted the rules established by the decree In Nomine Domini in 1059, but both sides defended the legality of the respective pontificates. The adherents of Anacletus argued that he was elected by the majority of the cardinals, lower clergy and the people of Rome. The partisans of Innocent II answered that Innocent II was elected by majority of the cardinal-bishops, who according to the decree In Nomine Domini had to play the preeminent role in the election. Their opponents answered with another version of the decree, which stated that the pope was elected by "cardinals", while cardinal-bishops could only express their approval or disapproval. Both parties used, by analogy, the Benedictine rule, which stated that in the case of a double election for abbot, the valid election was the one made by "the sounder part" of the electors – but there was no consensus which part of the College was "sounder" in this case.
Decisive for the verdict about the legality of both pontificates were not the legal arguments, but the attitude of the Catholic world, which had almost universally recognized Innocent II. His main supporters were Abbot Bernard of Clairvaux, Archbishop of Magdeburg Norbert of Xanten and King Lothair III of Germany. The few secular lords who had initially supported Anacletus gradually abandoned his cause as lost; only King Roger II of Sicily, who had received the crown from Anacletus in exchange for support, stood at his side to the very end. Although Anacletus II was able to retain the control of the city of Rome and the Patrimony of St. Peter until his death in January 1138, his successor quickly made his submission to Innocent II, who is now regarded as true Pope.