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Who was Michael of Cesena?

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William of Ockham English theologian and philosopher William of Ockham, detail from a stained-glass window, c. 1985; in All Saints' Church, Ockham, Surrey, England.

Michael of Cesena was the minister general of the Franciscan order during the 14th century. He is best known for his role as a prominent opponent of Pope John XXII regarding the theological dispute over Franciscan poverty.12

Michael maintained that because Jesus and his apostles had renounced all ownership and rights to property, the Franciscan order was justified in practicing absolute poverty. This stance directly conflicted with the pope, who declared the doctrine of absolute poverty to be heretical. Due to these tensions, Michael was summoned to Avignon, where he eventually fled in 1328 alongside William of Ockham and Bonagratia of Bergamo. The group sought refuge under the protection of the Holy Roman Emperor Louis IV the Bavarian, becoming key figures in the intellectual and political opposition against the papacy during that period.21