2.7.11
Anti-Pope John XXIII (1410 -1415)
There are some stories in history that are almost too bizarre to be believable – and the story of Baldassare Cossa is certainly one that it would be difficult to make up.
Born on an island within the Kingdom of Naples around 1370 it is claimed that Baldassare and his brothers maintained their impoverished noble family’s dignity and standard of living through piracy, and that his two brothers were actually sentenced to death for their sins.
Hardly an auspicious start for any man of the cloth? But from the outset, Baldassare was more of a military man and his first “official” career path was to fight in the Angevin-Neapolitan war for King Charles I of Sicily (Charles of Anjou) to protect his rights in the Kingdom of Naples after he had been dispossessed in Sicily.
His second career choice was the law – he studied at the University of Bologna (NB worth a visit – splendid views of the city from the roof of the astrological dept) and after obtaining his doctorate he began his drift towards religion for a third career path when he was posted to work for Pope Boniface 1x – who was the second Roman Pope of the Western Schism after the Catholic Church split apart and contrived to have two Popes – one in Rome and another (Anti-Pope) in Avignon.
Whilst working for Pope Boniface’s administration Baldassare worked in the department of Simony.
This term is of interest to me because the term simony derives from the works of Simon Magus – the practice of selling church offices and positions to boost church coffers. In the Brancacci Chapel in the Santa Maria del Carmine church, there is a magnificent and much-queried painting by Filippino Lippi of St Peter and his disciple Phillip disputing with Simon Magus in front of the Emperor Nero.
The small upturned body at their feet is presumed to be his familiar spirit vanquished in this final trial before his suicide/martyrdom after St Peter, who is the hero throughout the stories frescoed on the walls of the Brancacci Chapel, denounces Simon Magus and said “Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money”.
There are some people who still claim that Simon (Peter) Magus – the Sorcerer is really St Peter – the rock on which the Catholic Church is built, – but I think that is one deviation too far today – and it is time to get back to Baldassare Cossa and his perpetual link with Florence!!
In May 1408 Baldassare was one of the seven cardinals who deserted Pope Gregory XII, and convened the Council of Pisa. Cossa became the leader of a group whose objective was to finally end the schism. The result was silly beyond belief as they deposed Pope Gregory XII and Anti-Pope Benedict XIII and elected a third Pope Alexander V in 1409. As the two existing popes – Gregory and Benedict – clearly enjoying their current positions of power – simply ignored this decision – there were now not just two Popes – but three!
Anti-Pope Alexander V was not long for this world and died soon after his promotion – leaving the way clear for Baldassare himself, only made an ordained priest on 24th May 1410, to be consecrated as Pope John XXIII on 25 May 1410!
So now it is time for Florence and the Medici to come into our story. As unlikely as it might seem, the true founder of the Medici fortune is Giovanni di Bicci di Medici – who was a good friend to Baldassare!
As a supporter of Baldassare Cossa, Giovanni had loaned his money in an astute way at an important point and his reward from his friend in 1413 was for the Medici Bank to get the Curia – a near monopoly of the bank account of the Papal Estates!
The Rome branch of the Medici bank became easily the most profitable (+50% of their revenues) because as the chief Papal Banker the old firm handled, at commission, the greater part of the revenues of the church. Although Pope John was himself deposed in 1415 on this 2-year papal gift was built the financial infrastructure that kept the Medici family – more or less- in power in Florence for more than 300 years!!!
Pope John was unpopular with Jan Hus for his sale of indulgences, but the concept was popular with those who benefited and the Medici family themselves suggested whom the new Pope might like to appoint to key bishoprics – and then – according to Tim Parks “collected the fees due when the appointed took up his position”
John XXIII’s worst enemy was Ladislaus of Naples, who protected the still hopeful “Pope” Gregory XII in Rome.
The newly elected “Pope”John , although seemingly in charge of the finances, was forced to spend a year in absentia in Bologna before he joined forces with Louis II of Anjou to march against Ladislaus ( and Pope Gregory).
An initial victory allowed Pope John to live in Rome at last, but success proved short-lived and the forces of Ladislaus retook Rome in 1413, forcing John to flee to Florence ( he is rumoured to have brought his jewelled mitre and the sacred finger of John the Baptist (see reliquary image below) with him as a keepsake!) where he demanded the further support of the Medici to try to get his job back!
The next stage of the rival popes was tragic for our Anti-Pope – the Council of Constance was convened in November 1412. Their resolution was that all three popes should abdicate and a new pope be elected. (Haven’t we had this before with a smaller number of popes?)
Gregory and John initially agreed, but then John got cold feet and fled the council, which promptly deposed him and tried him for heresy, simony, sodomy, tyranny, incest, piracy, schism and immorality ….and found him guilty on all counts!
Christopher Hibbert lists his specific crimes as: heresy, the murder of a rival pope, Alexander V, and the seduction, whilst Papal representative in Bologna of no fewer than 100 ladies of that city! Cossa (as he had now been reduced to) was imprisoned in Germany and ransomed by his friend, Giovanni di Bicci di Medici.
Pope Martin V was elected, and the last remaining previous claimant in Avignon, Benedict XIII, was excommunicated when he refused to resign as well. At least they got back to a sensible number of Popes!
Baldassara Cossa’s final draw on the Medici coffers was for his splendid tomb – still to be seen as a tribute to the link between the papacy and the Medici in Florence. Made of marble and bronze it was created by Donatello and Michelozzo to integrate with the interior design of the Florence Baptistry adjacent to the Duomo.
It was commissioned by the executors of Cossa’s will after his death on December 22, 1419 and completed during the 1420s.
The cost of this edifice was reputed to be 800 Florins – at a time when a rich man could build an entire palazzo in Florence for 1,000 Florins –
Interestingly, the positioning of this tomb is beneath the dramatic image of the devil dishing out punishments at the time of the last judgment – is this irony ..or pathos?
“Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money”
attrib. – St Peter to Simon Magus.
The writer here is horribilus! He writes in such a way as to completely confuse the reader as to Cossa’s way of getting to the Papal seat and the role of the Medici Family.
It is the Medici family who put the pirate in the position for basically stealing the papacy. It was the Medici’s who,arranged for his ordainment by one of their own family members within the Vatican hierarchy.
The entire purpose of this power play was for the Medici’s arrangement for the control of the Vatican accounts and the Papal vaults, hence the absconding of the “famous finger” for protection (by the”pirate”). Ha!! The biggest comedy-hoax over the public in the history of “religion”. “THE CATHOLIC HOAX” – A JOKE!
Sorry that you find my writing horrible – perhaps I was being too subtle but that was actually what I was trying to say!
Penny,
You wrote clearly and succinctly and I am now, with your overview, going to read more in depth with your writing underpinnning my understanding of probably a much denser script.
Thank you Jancy – it is indeed an incredible story – especially as Giovanni di Bicci was not known for taking risks with his money!There is more detail about this Pope in Paul Strathern’s book on the Medici – Power, Money & Ambition in the Italian Renaissance – it was also featured in Medici Money by Tim Parks and Christopher Hibbert’s story of the Medici family. Good luck with your research & please let me know how you get on! Definitely a book in the story…?
Pope John XXIII (23) didn’t come until late 1950’s to early 1960s. He began the Vatican II debacle.
After the Scism was resolved AntiPope John XXIII’s name was removed from ‘official’ Papal records – He is buried in state in the Baptistery in Florence as the “Erstwhile Pope John XXIII” – therefore when Angelo Roncalli was elected Pope in 1958, he had to choose between John XXIII or John XXIV – he chose John XXIII
You did a good job of describing him and explaining things. What you said re: the Medici uunderwriting him and getting agency for the Curia’s finances didn’t exclude considering that the Medici played a more manipulative role. I appreciated your article. that critical (touchy) response could have been presented more as an addendum to your piece. Mandell Creighton’s (Church of England) History of The Popes:…” has a lot of detail about Baldassarre Cossa (antipope John XXIII). published early 1900s and really well-written. lots about the infamous second Borgia pope as well where all the innuendo taken as actual history are debunked, and his actual crimes and avarice, as well as his attributes (there were some ha ha) are explained in detail.
Thank you Robert – there is indeed a lot more to be said about Baldassarre Cossa (Antipope John XXIII). The list of his sins is somewhat longer than that of his virtues, but he must have had a winning personality, as well as some Medici money, to have won a Papal election. I have 2 good books on Popes – Upon this Rock by Mark Roberts who this year (2018) has published annotated information about every Pope since Peter (except the AntiPopes!)
Another great reference book is Bad Popes by ER Chamberlain. He finds good and evil in even the worst of them!
He too acknowledges the infrequent good works by Borgia Pope Alexander VI and his rapid descent to his old ways after promising to reform in his grief over the death of his beloved son Giovanni, Duke of Gandia.
Thanks very much for your comments and for suggesting further reading material – A rich subject!
Thank you Penny,
I enjoyed your article on the ‘pirate pope’ Baldassarre Cossa very much. Great research project.
Thank you – I am sure there is much more background to be found – not exactly a Hero!
You are just saying what they did on the TV show to make the show more interesting. Or maybe I’m wrong. Do you have a degree in early European History as the author does?
I am afraid that I haven’t seen a TV show on Baldassare Cossa? Do you mean The Medici serial? My degree is in Fine Art from the UK, but I now live in Florence and study art history with the locals. The key Historians, notably Hibbert, Strathern and Tim Parks, who have written about Florence, and/or the story of the Medici, write about the unlikely career path of Cossa from pirate to Pope.and of course also his spectacular fall from grace when he was accused of continuing his revolting lifestyle whilst wearing the title of Pope John XXII.
Was he a good man,or a man of God? Never, he or the two other Popes.
Certainly not a Good Man – useful to the Medici but you may well ask “were they, Good Men?
What was the name of Baldassare Cossa’s ship? It is the only price missing from your article. I cannot find the name of it anywhere.
Sorry, I am afraid that I don’t know the answer to this question but I am looking for it!
Has the name of the shipped been found?
Sorry – no luck on this yet! He might even have had more than one – it would be good to know I agree!
have you found the name of one of the ships?
I have tried various sources on these ships and so far no ship names have been forthcoming. What I have found of interest, is that it was fortunate for Baldassare that he made his career move when he did as his two less fortunate brothers were hung for the family Piracy!
There is more on Baldassare Cossa in Richard Condon’s “A Trembling Upon Rome.”
how old was cossa when his brothers died
I really have not been able to find out anything about Cossa’s brothers apart from the fact that they also got involved in piracy in their youth.
Cossa had three brothers. One, presumably the eldest as Balthazare was sent into the Church, as was usually the fate of the second son. Marino, as he was called married a relative of his mother – so mother and son were both surnamed Barriles.
His other two brothers married quite well into the Brancacci and Caraccioli families.
Nonetheless, the 2 younger brothers were hung for treason after their unsuccessful career in piracy.
I am afraid I have not yet found a date for either their birth or death so I cant help with your question -Yet! .