Episode 94: Popes and Antipopes

Episode 94: Popes and Antipopes

From Ask a Medievalist by Ask a Medievalist

June 27, 2025 · 1h 14m · Season 6 · Episode 94

About this episode

The episode discusses notable antipopes from the 11th and 12th centuries and their historical significance.

Synopsis Let’s talk about a few good antipopes. What’s that about, anyway? If they meet, do they both annihilate? How do they sometimes switch places? Join Em and Dr. Jesse as they go over some of the more interesting antipopes of the 11th and 12th centuries. Notes 1/ The board game is Kremlin . 2/ Gregory VII (born c1015, namesake of the reform movement, pope 1073–1085). Gregorian reform ! 3/ Investiture Controversy . The big one is roughly 1076–1122, but there are a bunch of investiture struggles. 4/ Henry IV (1050–1106; king of Germany from 1054, of Italy and Burgundy from 1056, and Holy Roman Emperor from 1084) 5/ Antipope Clement III (born c1029, Antipope 1080–1100) 6/ Antipope Theodoric (or Sylvester III, but there was an earlier Sylvester III, who was considered an antipope by Theodoric but is not currently listed as one by the Vatican). 7/ Concordat of London 1107 between Henry I of England and Pope Paschal II 8/ Holy Emperor Henry V (born early 1080s-1125; Holy Roman Emperor 1111–1125) 9/ Henry V appoints Antipope Gregory VIII (Antipope 1118–1121, dies 1137) 10/ Concordat of Worms 1122 11/ Pope Innocent II (Pope 1130–1143) is elected by a minority Antipope…

People in this episode

Host: Em

Guest: Dr. Jesse

Topics covered

  • antipope history
  • papal controversies
  • medieval politics
  • 11th century
  • 12th century
  • investiture struggles

Keywords

  • antipope
  • Gregory VII
  • Henry IV
  • Investiture Controversy
  • medieval history
  • papacy
  • Concordat of London
  • Concordat of Worms

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Kremlin

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