Lyons, Council of

   The council held in 1274 created a union of the churches (q.v.) on paper. This union was extorted from Michael VIII by Pope Gregory X (qq.v.), who threatened to support Charles I of Anjou's (q.v.) planned invasion of Byzantium (q.v.). The church union was a great victory for the papacy (q.v.), and for Michael it had the desired effect of preventing Charles's invasion. Nevertheless, Michael VIII paid a price at home, since the union was repudiated by ordinary citizens and clergy alike. They rejected John XI Bekkos as patriarch (qq.v.), remaining loyal to Arsenios (q.v.). Michael's jailing of opponents only deepened the internal crisis resulting from the union. In 1285, after Michael VIII's death, a church council rejected the union.