Pope John XXII (1244-4 December 1334), born Jacques d'Euse, was Pope from 1316 to 1334, succeeding Pope Clement V and preceding Pope Benedict XII.
Biography[]
Jacques d'Euse was born in 1244 son of a shoemaker in Cahors, France, and he studied medicine and law. He became Bishop of Frejus in 1300 and in 1312 became Cardinal-Bishop of Porto-Santa Rufina, and he took part in the 1314-1316 interregnum disputes between cardinals after the death of Pope Clement V. In 1316, Jacques was elected as Pope John XXII, and he became the second pope in Avignon. He centralized power and income in the Papal States, living a princely life in Avignon, opposing the policies of Louis IV of Germany and Louis' ally, Antipope Nicholas V. Pope John was also known for opposing the Franciscan Order's understanding of the poverty of Jesus and his apostles. He died in 1334.