Benoit XIII (antipape)

Pedro de Luna or Pierre de Lune (1329 Illueca - 1423), originating in Aragon, becomes pope of Avignon under the name of Benoît . He is consdéré today like a Antipape by the Catholic church.

He is resulting from a noble family of Aragon. He devoted himself initially to jurisprudence civil and canonical, this study left to carry the weapons, showed it then, taught the canonical right as professor to the Université of Montpellier. It left many works of right, and even of the handbooks of Théologie and Ascèse.

Cardinal at the beginning of the great schism of Occident

It was made cardinal in 1375. Familiar of Gregoire {{XI}}, he is provost of Valence (Spain) and cardinal deacon of Sainte-Marie in Cosmedin .

Afterwards many hesitations, it lines up among the adversaries of Urbain {{VI}}, takes part in the election of Clément {{VII}} with Avignon and places at the disposal of this one its legal science and its talents of diplomat. Legate in the Iberian kingdoms of 1378 with 1390, it leads the Castille and the Aragon to be adhered to the obedience of the pope inhabitant of Avignon. For a diplomatic conference held with Medina del Campo in 1380, it composes a Traité Schism which is a rigorous plea in favor of the position taken with Fondi by the rebellious cardinals with Urbain VII.

He is then legate with Paris, in charge of negotiations with the principalities of the France of North and even with the England and the Scotland.

Pope in Avignon

With died of the Antipape Clément {{VII}} (1394) which sat at Avignon, the cardinals inhabitant of Avignon elected it at the same time pope the September 28th 1394 (it is ordered priest and devoted bishop) that the cardinals of Rome elected Boniface {{IX}} ; it took the name of Benoît . With the way of cession - resignation of both papes - which seemed to have its favor when he was cardinal, and about which one speaks much in Paris, he substitutes the way of convention then, i.e. the search for an agreement per negotiation. He thus challenges all the embassies of the princes and the universities which try to push it with the transfer. In same time, negotiations with the Roman pope Boniface {{IX}} appear unfruitful. Benoit thus irritates, by his obstinacy, the majority of his cardinals, as much as the king de France and the duke of Burgundy, which dominates the royal Conseil then. The only supports of the pope remain the duke Louis {{Ier}} of Orleans and the king d' Aragon.

France makes subtraction of obedience in 1398, followed by Naples and the Provence, the Castille and the Navarre. Benoit is besieged in his palate by the army of Boucicaut. Provence of the king Louis II of Anjou having restored its obedience in 1401, the pope escapes in 1403 and takes refuge there.

France restores in its turn its obedience in 1403, but made a partial subtraction in 1406 which holds the purely spiritual capacity of the pope. After the failure of the negotiations with the pope of Rome, and the long palinodes which lead the two adversaries to two days of walk one of the other, France proclaims its neutrality between the two popes in 1408. Threatened by Boucicaut, Benoît escapes and withdraws itself initially with Châteaurenard, then with Perpignan.

End of the great schism and papal forfeiture

After the failure of long negotiations between the cardinals of two obediences and their popes, the Concile of Pisa deposits at the same time Benoît and Gregoire {{XII}}, and elects Alexandre {{V}}. Whereas Gregoire and Jean {{XXIII}}, successor of Alexandre, are inclined finally in front of the Concile of Constancy, Benoît, only, refuses to abdicate.

Given up from all the princes, it is withdrawn with Peñíscola where, until its last day, it multiplies the legal writings, refuting the conciliar claims in a Traité general Council where it denies any jurisdiction or authority with the separate cardinals of their pope. He fulminates excommunications and fact ultimate cardinals his faithful. He dies either the November 29th 1422, or the May 23rd 1423, or the November 17th 1424.

Succession

With its death, its last four cardinals divide. Three of them elect Gil Sanchez Muñoz under the name of Clément {{VIII}}, but the fourth, Jean Carrier elects with him all alone Bernard Garnier under the name of Benoît {{XIV}}. The first will end up being submitted to the pope Martin {{V}}, but with died of the second, Jean Carrier takes again the name and creates a minority schism of it. The line of the second, stripped of any recognition is lost in the lapse of memory and gave rise to the legend of the imaginary Antipapes.

Today, one does not count Benoît in the continuation of the popes, but only like antipape in Avignon. Its name and its number will be taken again at the 18th century by the pope legitimates Benoît {{XIII}} in Rome.

Partial source

Bibliogrpahie

BENEDICTO XIII, Libro of mow consolaciones of emptied humana - ED Antinea 1998.

Xavier Adro, El Papa of Peñiscola, a siglo of Europa. , Enacted Petronio, Madrid, 1975.

Joan Simó Castillo, the sober verdad el " indestronable" Dad Luna , Imprenta Manor house, 1976.

Random links: