JOHN (Heb. llni')  , Volt¢nan, " Yahweh has been gracious," Gr . 'Iw&vvrls, Lat . Joannes, Ital . Giovanni, Span . Juan, Port . Joao, Fr . Jean, Ger . Johannes, Johann [abbr . Hans], Gael . Ian, Pol. and Czech Jan, Hung . Janos), a masculine proper name common in all Christian countries, its popularity being due to its having been borne by the " Beloved Disciple " of Christ, St John the Evangelist, and by the forerunner of Christ, St John the Baptist . It has been the name of twenty-two popes—the style of Popes John XXII. and XXIII. being due to an error in the number assumed by John XXI .

(q.v.)—and of many sovereigns, princes, &c . The

order followed in the biographical notices below is as follows: (1) the Apostle, (2) the Baptist, (3) popes, (4) Roman emperors, (5) kings; John of England first, the rest in the alphabetical order of their countries, -(6) other sovereign princes, (7) non-sovereign princes, (8) saints, (9) theologians, chroniclers, &c . Those princes who are known by a name in addition to John (John Albert, &c.) will be found after the article JOHN, GOSPEL OF .