John III.: Pope 561-574. He was the son of Anastasius, a prominent Roman, and was elected after a long interregnum July 17, 561. He succeeded in bringing about the return to the Roman obedience of the revolting provinces of Italy. Ravenna submitted Sept. 15, 568, and in 571 Arch-bishop Laurence II. of Milan entered into negotiations with Rome. His influence was also felt in the Frankish kingdom in the restoration of the deposed bishops of Embrun and Gap, who had appealed to him.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Liber pontificalis, ed. Duchesne, i. 305-306, Paris, 1886, ed. Mommsen, in MGH, Gest, pont. Rom., i (1898), 157-158; Jaffé, Regesta, i. 136-137; J. Langen, Geschichte der römischen Kirche, ii. 401-403, Bonn, 1885; T. Hodgkin, Italy and her Invaders, v. 65, Oxford, 1895; DCB, iii. 891; Bower, Popes, i. 374-380; Milman, Latin Christianity, i. 475; B. Platina, Lives of the Popes, i. 132-134, London, n.d.
John IV.: Pope 640-642. The son of Venantius, a Dalmatian teacher, he was elected Aug. 2, 640, and consecrated September 22. Soon after he held a synod at which he condemned Monothelitism; and when Pyrrhus, patriarch of Constantinople, defended this heresy by appealing to the decisions of Honorius, John addressed a strong letter to the sons of the Emperor Heraclius in which he asserted the complete orthodoxy of Honorius and demanded the condemnation of Pyrrhus' teaching. He died Oct. 12, 642.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Liber pontificalis, ed. Duchesne, i. 330, Paris, 1886, ed. Mommsen, in MGH, Gest, pont. Rom., i (1898), 177; Jaffé, Regesta, i. 227-228; J. Langen, Geschichte der römischen Kirche, ii. 517-520. Bonn, 1885; R. Baxmann, Die Politik der Päpste, i. 171 sqq.. Elberfeld, 1868; T. Hodgkin, Italy and her Invaders, vi. 18, 172, Oxford, 1895; Mann, Popes, i. 351, 354, 367; Bower, Popes, i. 438-441; Milman, Latin Christianity, ii. 272; B. Platina, Lives of the Popes, i. 150-152, London, n.d.; DCB, iii. 391-392.
John V.: Pope 685-686. He was a Syrian by birth, who, in accordance with the constitution of Constantine VI., was consecrated immediately after his election (July 23, 685) without waiting for imperial confirmation. His only known official act was the bringing of the Sardinian church once more into subjection to Rome. He died Aug. 2, 686.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Liber pontificalis, ed. Duchesne, i. 366-367, Paris, 1886, ed. Mommsen, in MGH, Gest. pont. Rom., i (1898), 205-20fS; Jsff6, Repeats, i. 242; Mann, Popes, i., 2, pp. 64-67; Bower, Popes, i. 489-490; Milman, Latin Christianity, ii. 287; B. Platina, Lives of the Popes, i. 166-167, London, n.d.; DCB, iii, 392.
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