JOHN XII

original name Ottaviano, English Octavian born 937?, Rome died May 14, 964 pope from 955 to 964. He was the only son of Duke Alberic II of Spoleto, then ruler of Rome, who ordered Octavian's election (Dec. 16, 955) as pope when he was only about 18 years of age. The young pope changed his name to John, and he crowned the German king Otto I the Great and his wife Adelaide as Holy Roman emperor and empress on Feb. 2, 962. But he rebelled when Otto issued his controversial Privilegium Ottonianum (Ottonian Privilege), which ordered John to take an oath of obedience to the Emperor. On Nov. 6, 963, Otto called a council at St. Peter's, Rome, which on Dec. 4, 963, deposed John for instigating an armed conspiracy against Otto and for dishonourable conduct. The council replaced John with Pope Leo VIII. In February 964, after Otto left, Leo was deposed by a synod conducted by John. Soon after, John died suddenly in the arms of his mistress.