The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church - Biographical Dictionary

The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church

Biographical Dictionary
Pope Gelasius II (1118-1119)
Consistory of March 10, 1118 (I)
Celebrated in Gaeta

(1) 1. RUFFO, Pietro (?-ca. 1120)

Birth. (No date found), Naples. Of a noble family. Son of Filippo Ruffo. His last name is also listed as Ruffus.

Education. (No information found).

Cardinalate. Created cardinal deacon of S. Maria in Cosmedin in the consistory celebrated in Gaeta on March 10, 1118, the same day on which Pope Gelasius II was consecrated. He accompanied the pope to France. Did not participate in the papal election of 1119, in which Pope Callistus II was elected (1). Attended the Council of Capua, in which Antipope Gregory VIII and Emperor Heinrich V, who supported him, were excommunicated.

Death. Ca. 1120 (2), (no place found). Buried (no information found).

Bibliography. Cardella, Lorenzo. Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa. Rome : Stamperia Pagliarini, 1792, I, pt. 1, 251; Chacón, Alfonso. Vitæ, et res gestæ Pontificvm Romanorum et S. R. E. Cardinalivm ab initio nascentis Ecclesiæ vsque ad Vrbanvm VIII. Pont. Max. 2 volumes. Romae : Typis Vaticanis, 1677, I, col. 938; "Essai de liste générale des cardinaux. Les cardinaux du XIIè siècle". Annuaire Pontifical Catholique 1928. Paris : Maison de la Bonne Presse, 1928, p. 119, no. 1.

Webgraphy. Chronologie de la Maison Ruffo, in French (the cardinal is mentioned in the "XIIe siècle); Les Ruffo au XIIe siècle, in French (the cardinal is mentioned in the 8th paragraph of the page); biographical data, in Italian, in the section "I Ruffo e Sinopoli."

(1) This is according to Chacón, Vitæ, et res gestæ Pontificvm Romanorum et S. R. E. Cardinalivm, I, col. 940, which omits him from the list of participants; "Essai de liste générale des cardinaux. Les cardinaux du XIIè siècle". Annuaire Pontifical Catholique 1928, p. 119, no. 1, says that he took part in the election of Pope Callistus II.
(2) The site Les Ruffo au XIIe siècle says that he sided with Pope Innocent II against Antipope Anacletus II, both of whom were elected in 1130, which contradicts the date of death, ca. 1120, given by "Essai de liste générale des cardinaux. Les cardinaux du XIIè siècle". Annuaire Pontifical Catholique 1928, p. 119, no. 1.