Antipope Anacletus II

Peter Pierleoni (* around 1090 in Rome, † January 25, 1138 ibid ) was from 1130 until his death, under the name Anacletus II anti-pope to Pope Innocent II His name means the Exquisite (Greek - Latin). .

Peter Pierleoni came from an influential Jewish family converted to Christianity. He joined after studying in Paris as a monk in the famous abbey of Cluny one. Pope Paschal II summoned him to Rome and appointed him cardinal deacon 1112 by Santi Cosma e Damiano. 1120 was Pierleoni Cardinal Priest of Santa Maria in Trastevere and 1121 papal legate in England and France.

After the death of Pope Honorius II in 1130, it came on 14 February this year for the election of two popes: earlier in time, but appointed by a minority, Innocent II was elected, later on the same day elected the majority of the cardinals in a tumultuous process Pierleoni Peter, who took the name Anacletus II.

Anacletus II initially prevailed in Rome and forced Innocent II to flee. In the following years he allied himself with the powerful King Roger II of Sicily, which he permanently took the imperial party to the enemy.

King Lothar III. intervened because even in favor of Innocent II and led back to Rome this in 1133, but captured only a part of the papal city, St. Peter's Basilica was successfully defended by Anacletus and the Pierleoni. Nevertheless, Lothar III received. thanks for this help of Innocent II the imperial crown, but in the Lateran. After the departure of Lothar, who could not be moved to a campaign against Roger II of Innocent II, succeeded Anacletus II little later to regain control of Rome.

The schism was not terminated by the death of Anacletus, who died in 1138: his remaining supporters chose Gregorio Conti to the Pope, who took the name Victor IV, however, in subject 1138 Pope Innocent II even after the intervention of Bernard of Clairvaux had.