1124 papal election

Pressures building within the Curia, together with ongoing conflicts among the Roman nobility, would erupt after the death of Pope Callixtus II in 1124.

With Callixtus II's death on 13 December 1124, both families agreed that the election of the next pope should be in three days time, in accordance with the church canons.

[3] There, at the suggestion of Jonathas, the cardinal-deacon of Santi Cosma e Damiano, who was a partisan of the Pierleoni family, the Cardinals unanimously elected as Pope the cardinal-priest of Sant’ Anastasia, Theobaldo Boccapecci, who took the name Celestine II.

[4] He had only just put on the red mantle and the Te Deum was being sung when an armed party led by Roberto Frangipani[5] (in a move pre-arranged with Cardinal Aymeric)[1] burst in, attacked the newly enthroned Celestine, who was wounded, and acclaimed Lamberto as Pope.

[7] Rome descended into factional infighting, while Cardinal Aymeric and Leo Frangipani attempted to win over the resistance of Urban, the City Prefect, and the Pierleoni family with bribes and extravagant promises.

[6] Honorius, unwilling to accept the throne in such a manner, resigned his position before the assembled Cardinals,[6] but was immediately and unanimously re-elected and consecrated on 21 December 1124.