‘A Demon from Hell’: The worst popes in the history of the office

As a great acceptance, he took over the steering wheel as the Catholic Church struggled with corruption and the consequences of multiple sexual abuse scandals.

Of course, scandals are nothing new to the Catholic Church. However, Pope Francis, described as a reformer and outsider, managed to win the love of the world.

Of course, many others found before him at this particular office were not able to win the above « bet ». History tells us that some popes did quite a few… controversial things at a time when they were obviously playing with very different rules.

Pope Alexander V ‘

He was born: Rodrigo Vorgia near Valencia, Spain in 1431.

Time in power: 1492-1503.

To date, the name Borgia is synonymous with the scandal because of the rule of this man.

There was a controversy from the beginning with Pope Alexander VI, a wealthy Spanish who allegedly acquired papism by bribing his colleagues.

Alexander also had no problem appointing many of his relatives in positions of power or killing opponents of the cardinals to claim their valuable property for himself.

And she was definitely very female, as she had many children with her many mistresses.

Pope Stefanos F ‘

He was born: The Name of Birth, the Date and the Place of Birth are unknown.

Time in power: May 896-August 897.

Pope Stefanos VI had no friendly relationship with his predecessor, Pope Formos.

When Stefanos took power, Formozos was already dead for months, but having his enemy six feet below the earth was not enough punishment for the new Pope.

He ordered that the rotten corpse be extinguished, dressed again in papal clothes, and place it on the throne to be tried.

After the « verdict », Stefanos ordered to drag his corpse on the streets of Rome and throw it to Tiber.

Although he won the so -called trial of the corpses, Stefanos was strangled to death by one of his enemies just a year later.

Pope Bonifatios II

He was born as: Benedito cate in Rome, around 1235.

Time in power: 1294-1303.

With his approach to Popper, Pope Boniface I had the ability to start quarrels.

Among his many enemies was the writer Dante Aligieri, whose criticism in the church led to his exile from Florence, Italy, in the hands of Boniface’s friends.

But his most intense dispute was with the powerful king of France Philip II.

In 1302, Boniface issued a papal bull – the term of the Church for an official declaration – which raised the kings of Europe and their armies under its highest administration.

Many rulers may have questioned this decision, especially Philip, who ordered the arrest of Boniface after being informed of his plans to concern him.

Boniface died shortly afterwards, but not before gaining a permanent position in the eighth circle of hell in Dante’s « Hell ».

Pope Urban F ‘

He was born: Bartolomeo Priniano in Naples, Italy, around 1318.

Time in power: 1378-1389.

When your tenure tears the church in two, he thought that your position on the « No Great Pope » list is secured.

The election of Pope Urvano VII in 1378 sparked the western schism, also known as the period during which there were two, and later three, competitive popes claiming the title of Church leader.

The Urban also had no problem using violence to exterminate his enemies.

He asked for the brutal hearts of the cardinals conspiring against him, and the legend says he was even unhappy because their screams were not strong enough.

Leo Pope

He was born: Giovanni de Medici in Florence, Italy in 1475.

Time in power: 1513-1521.

A member of the powerful family of Mendici, Italy, Pope Leo X had a love for art.

He funded some of the most famous Renaissance artworks, but his high expenditure led his church finances deep in Red.

To assist in balancing the books, it was largely based on the sale of forgiveness – which is the payment of money to the church to buy forgiveness of sins or, to get a dead relative from the Purgatory.

Pope Benedict

He was born: Theophylactus in Rome, about 1012.

Time in power: 1032-1044, April-May 1045, 1047-1048.

A « demon from hell » and « so miserable, so dirty, so disgusting that I shudder in his thinking » are just some of the good words used by future popes to describe Pope Benedict IX.

This pope held the position three different times.

His first term as a Pope ended with his departure from Rome after a revolt of citizens erupted for his violent behavior.

He then returned to power for a second term, but sold Papism to his godfather, who became Pope Gregory VI.

But Benedict was not over yet. He returned to Rome years later, claimed the throne and then lost him again, after the German armies eventually expelled him to finally be finally expelled from Rome.

Pope Sergios III

He was born: Sergius in Rome. The date of birth is unknown.

Time in power: 904-911.

As a friend of Pope Stefanos VI of the reputation of the « trial of the corpses », it should be no surprise that Sergius III was also not a great Pope.

Sergius came to power at a time when many were claiming the title, and after declaring some of his opponents, he put at least one of them killing at least one of them.

It is also said by some that he was the father of Pope John IA, a product of Sergius’ relationship with a Roman cosmic lady named Marozia.