136th Pope of the Catholic Church. Pontificate 983 - 984. He was born at Pavia, and before his elevation to the papal chair was imperial chancellor of Emperor Otto II, yet still only the latter's second choice for pope. Otto II died shortly after his election, his heir Otto III, being only 3 years old and unable to protect John's position as Pope. Antipope Boniface VII (974, 984–985), on the strength of the popular feeling against the new Pope, returned from Constantinople and placed John XIV in prison in the Castel Sant'Angelo, where he died either from starvation or poison.