1. MedievWorld1_fm_4pp.qxd

406 Johannes Andreae

Johannes Andreae(Giovanni d’Andrea)(ca. 1270–
1348)Italian teacher of canon and civil law
Born about 1270 in Bologna or at Rifredi near FLORENCE,
Johannes Andreae or Giovanni di Andrea as a layman
studied THEOLOGY, canon or ecclesiastical law, and civil
law, taking a doctoral degree between 1296 and 1300. He
taught at the Universities of BOLOGNAand PADUAand was
only the second married professor of canon law known
from the Middle Ages. He even claimed that he consulted
his wife on legal questions. His youngest daughter,
Novella, according to one dubious story, used to read his
lectures when he was ill. According to the tale, she had to
conceal herself behind a curtain to prevent distracting
the students’ attention by her famous beauty. He died of
PLAGUEat Bologna on July 7, 1348, and was buried there.

WRITING AND IDEAS

His output was substantial, including treatises on canon
law, an important work on legal procedure, and a biogra-
phy of Saint JEROME. He was an ardent proponent of
absolute papal supremacy. He thought that everyone
must obey the Holy See, including infidels. Canon
law had a universal application. The papal power of
deposition of the emperor seemed to him evident, since

the Holy Father or Pope could act in the name of GOD.

His compilations and work were not always original but

became foundational. One of his ideas influenced

HOSTIENSIS: that the pope, as the successor of Christ and

Saint Peter, could not err. Any order of the supreme pon-

tiff came from God and was thus of immediate and legal

application. The pope was not subject to the laws of

COUNCILS. The pope gave authority to councils; the

reverse was not true or even possible, although a hereti-

cal or criminal pope could be subjected to the jurisdic-

tion of a council. The pope could change conciliar laws

by his mere will, was the judge of all, and could be

judged by no one.

SeeLAW, CANON AND ECCLESIASTICAL; PAPACY.

Further reading:James A. Brundage, Medieval Canon

Law (New York: Longman, 1995); Stephan Kuttner,

“Johannes Andreae and His Novella on the Decretals,”

The Jurist,24 (1964): 393–408.

John II Komnenos (Comnenus)(1087–1143)capa-

ble, devoted and successful Byzantine emperor

John was born to ALEXIOSI KOMNENOSand his wife on

September 13, 1087. He succeeded to the throne with

The Execution of Joan of Arc from Les Vigils de Charles VIIby Martial de Paris, 15th-century manuscript illumination, Ms. Fr.
5054, fol. 7, Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris (Giraudon / Art Resource)