Michael of Cesena
Michael of Cesena (
1270-
November 29 1342) was a
Franciscan, general of that Order, and theologian, born at
Cesena, a small town in
Italy.
He was an advocate of ecclesiastical poverty, in which dispute he found himself ranged against
Pope John XXII. The latter summoned him to
Avignon in
1327. and Michael eventually agreed to go. He was detained here by the Pope, along with
William of Ockham. In the following year, they were freed by agents of
Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor and taken to
Pisa , where John XXII was declared to be deposed by the Emperor.
In
1329 he was declared to be deposed from the Franciscan leadership, now controlled by the Pope, and he left in the entourage of Louis for Germany, where he died.