John Xiv

John Xiv

Pope, who was, previous to his elevation, Peter, bishop of Pavia, and archchancellor of the emperor, was elected pope through the influence of Otho II in November or December, 983, in place of Boniface VII (q.v.). Unfortunately, however, his patron died at Rome December 7 of the same year, and the ex-pope, encouraged by the anti-empirical party, ventured to return the following spring (April, 984) from Constantinople, whither he had fled, and proving sufficiently strong to overcome John, his person was secured, and he was imprisoned in the Castle del Angelo, where he was either poisoned or starved to death. See Aschbach, Kirchen-Lexikon, 3, 520.