Antipope Juan III

Not to be confused with Pope Juan III.

Antipope Juan III
Bishop of Romanya
Church	Catholic Church
In office	2 June 567 – 17 October 571
Predecessor	Antipope Sixto IV
Successor	Pope Juan III
Opposed to	Pope Juan III Antipope Félix IV
Personal details
Birth name	Ioannes
Born	6th century? Northern Romanyan Empire
Died	Unknown Unknown
Nationality	Romanyan

Antipope Ioannes III (born Ioannes; fl. 567–571), also rendered as Antipope Juan III, was a northern antipope of the Great Schism who served from 567 until his deposition in 571. He was supported by the Northern Romanyan Empire and succeeded Antipope Sixto IV. Ioannes opposed both Pope Juan III and Southern Antipope Félix IV throuhgout his antipapacy. He was deposed on 17 October 571 after the Battle of the Three Popes and his ultimate fate is unknown.

Papacy

Little is known about Ioannes' life before becoming the northern antipope on 2 June 567. Only his first name is known, and he is believed to have been born in the Northern Romanyan Empire, likely in the 6th century. He was likely a member of the clergy prior to becoming antipope, almost certainly serving under Antipope Sixto IV (551–567), and possibly under Antipope Urbano II (540–551).

Sixto IV died on 28 May 567 in Romanya. Church officials met in Romanya to elect a new pope, and Ioannes was elected on 2 June 567. He was elected in opposition of Pope Juan III, who was in exile in Creeperopolis, and Antipope Félix IV, who was supported by the Southern Romanyan Empire.

Deposition

In 571, Ioannes and Félix IV, with the support of Northern Emperor Constans III and Southern Emperor Leo II, agreed to end the Great Schism, which had been ongoing since Pope Vigilio I was deposed in 540. Both antipopes agreed to hold an ecumenical council to end the schism, but also agreed to raise an army, with the support of the northern and southern emperors, to travel to Creeperopolis and eliminate Juan III as a potential rival to the papacy.

The united Romanyan army encountered a Creeperian army led by Juan III and King Felipe I on 17 October 571 near the village of Palenque south of the Creeperian Range. In the ensuing battle, known as the Battle of the Three Popes, ended in a decisive victory for Juan III and the Creeperian army. During the battle, Northern Emperor Constans III was killed in action. Both Ioannes and Félix IV surrendered to Juan III's forces, and to spare their lives, they both renounced their claims to the papacy. After he abdicated from the papacy, Ioannes faded into obscurity and his ultimate fate is unknown. He is not mentioned again in Romanyan records, and there is no definitive answer if he returned to Romanya or stayed in Creeperopolis with Juan III.

Legacy

Ioannes is viewed as an unimportant and obscure figure as little is known about his life. His name is commonly rendered as "Juan", the Creeperian form of Ioannes (John), as the names of every pope has since been commonly referred to by its Creeperian form.

See also

• Pope

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Sixto IV	Northern Antipope 2 June 567 – 17 October 571	Lineage abolished