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Giovanni di Struma is elected antipope

An antipope (Latin: antipapa) is a person who claims to be Bishop of Rome and leader of the Roman Catholic Church in opposition to the officially elected pope.

An antipope (Latin: antipapa) is a person who claims to be Bishop of Rome and leader of the Roman Catholic Church in opposition to the officially elected pope. Between the 3rd and mid-15th centuries, antipopes were supported by factions within the Church itself and secular rulers. While modern claimants to the papacy still take place, they are rarely given serious consideration by either the public or the Church.

Sometimes it was difficult to distinguish which of two claimants should be called pope and which antipope, as in the case of Pope Leo VIII and Pope Benedict V.

Historical Significance

An antipope (Latin: antipapa) is a person who claims to be Bishop of Rome and leader of the Roman Catholic Church in opposition to the officially elected pope.

Events Before

  1. Austrian town of Bad Kleinkirchheim is first mentioned, in an ecclesiastical document

    Austrian town of Bad Kleinkirchheim is first mentioned, in an ecclesiastical document

  2. Battle of al-Babein: King Amalric I of Jerusalem fights a Zengid army to a draw over access to Egypt

    The Battle of al-Babein took place on March 18, 1167, during the third Crusader invasion of Egypt.

  3. Battle of Monte Porzio: Holy Roman army supporting Pope Alexander III is defeated by Christian of Buch and Rainald of Da

    Battle of Monte Porzio: Holy Roman army supporting Pope Alexander III is defeated by Christian of Buch and Rainald of Dassel

  4. Northern Italian towns form the Lombard League

    The Lombard League (Latin: Societas Lombardiae; Italian: Lega Lombarda) was an alliance of cities formed in 1167, and supported by the popes, to counter the attempts by the Hohenstaufen Holy Roman...

  5. Sicilian chancellor Stephen du Perche moves the royal court to Messina to prevent a rebellion.

    Sicilian chancellor Stephen du Perche moves the royal court to Messina to prevent a rebellion.

Events After

  1. Pope Alexander III canonizes Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury

    Thomas Becket ( ), also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London and later Thomas à Becket (21 December 1119 or 1120 – 29 December 1170), was an English cleric and statesman who served...

  2. Construction of the Tower of Pisa begins, and it takes two centuries to complete

    Construction of the Tower of Pisa begins, and it takes two centuries to complete

  3. Jocelin, abbot of Melrose, is elected bishop of Glasgow

    Jocelin (or Jocelyn) (died 1199) was a Scottish Cistercian monk and cleric who became the fourth Abbot of Melrose before becoming Bishop of Glasgow, Scotland.

  4. At the Battle of Myriokephalon, the Byzantines fail to recover Anatolia from Turkish rule

    The Battle of Myriokephalon (also known as the Battle of Myriocephalum, Greek: Μάχη του Μυριοκέφαλου, Turkish: Miryokefalon Savaşı or Düzbel Muharebesi) was a battle between the Byzantine Empire and...

  5. Battle of Montgisard: Baldwin IV of Jerusalem defeats Saladin and a larger Ayyubid force

    Baldwin IV (1161–1185), known as the Leper King, was the king of Jerusalem from 1174 until his death in 1185. Baldwin ascended to the throne when he was thirteen despite having leprosy.

More from the 1160s

King Louis VII of France weds Adele of Champagne

King Louis VII of France weds Adele of Champagne

Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos marries Princess Maria of Antioch in the Hagia Sophia, Constantinople, with chariot

Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos marries Princess Maria of Antioch in the Hagia Sophia, Constantinople, with chariot races to celebrate in the Hippodrome

Battle of al-Babein: King Amalric I of Jerusalem fights a Zengid army to a draw over access to Egypt

The Battle of al-Babein took place on March 18, 1167, during the third Crusader invasion of Egypt.

Raynald of Dassel names Guido di Crema as anti-pope Paschalis III

Raynald of Dassel names Guido di Crema as anti-pope Paschalis III

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on November 20, 1168?
An antipope (Latin: antipapa) is a person who claims to be Bishop of Rome and leader of the Roman Catholic Church in opposition to the officially elected pope. Between the 3rd and mid-15th centuries, antipopes were supported by factions within the Church itself and secular rulers. While modern claimants to the papacy still take place, they are rarely given serious consideration by either the public or the Church.
Why is Giovanni di Struma is elected antipope significant?
An antipope (Latin: antipapa) is a person who claims to be Bishop of Rome and leader of the Roman Catholic Church in opposition to the officially elected pope.

Explore More

November 20 in HistoryYear 1168