 Pope Honorius did not accept Frederick 's unilateral act , and continued to regard John as the rightful king of Jerusalem . In an attempt to take advantage of the revived <unk> League ( an alliance of northern Italian towns ) against Frederick II , John went to Bologna . According to a version of Ernoul 's chronicle , he declined an offer by the <unk> League representatives to elect him their king . Even though this account was fabricated , John remained in Bologna for over six months . The dying Pope Honorius appointed John rector of a <unk> of Saint Peter in <unk> ( part of the Papal States ) on 27 January <unk> , and urged Frederick II to restore him to the throne of the Kingdom of Jerusalem . Honorius ' successor , Gregory IX , confirmed John 's position in the Papal States on 5 April and ordered the citizens of Perugia to elect him their <unk> . 
