a manipulation of the constant political struggles by the Roman nobles against Frankish power, accruing to the advantage of Byzantine influence against the widening of Frankish power in Rome, where Gregory was the first German pontiff. Because John was not recognized by the Western bishops as a legitimate pope, the next three popes named John, John XVII, John XVIII and John XIX, took the regnal numbers XVI, XVII and XVIII, but some historians of the Middle Ages changed their numbers (including above-mentioned antipope Philagathos among the Popes called John), and the wrongly corrected sequencing was never subsequently corrected. See also Papal selection before 1059 Notes References External links Year of birth uncertain Year of death uncertain 10th-century births 1001 deaths 10th-century antipopes 10th-century Italian bishops Antipopes Bishops of Piacenza Greek popes Greek cardinals Greek Roman Catholics People from Rossano