John XIV

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John XIV

pope

Also known as: Pietro Canepanova

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

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Original name:: Pietro Canepanova

Died:: Aug. 20, 984, Rome

Also Known As:: Pietro Canepanova

Title / Office:: pope (983-984)

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John XIV (born, Pavia, Lombardy—died Aug. 20, 984, Rome) was the pope from 983 to 984.

He was bishop of Pavia when chosen pope in November/December 983 by the Holy Roman emperor Otto II without the consultation of either the clergy or the people of Rome. His election was opposed by the powerful Roman Crescentii family, which supported Antipope Boniface VII. Boniface had been expelled by Otto but returned to Rome when Otto died (Dec. 7, 983). Aided by the Crescentii, he imprisoned John in the Castel Sant’Angelo, Rome, and presumably had him murdered, either by starvation or by poison. John’s sole extant document is a letter to Archbishop Alo of Benevento, Italy, concerning church reform.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.