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Top Ten Controversial Popes
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Famously corrupt, Alexander VI allegedly bought the papacy, engaged in flagrant nepotism, fathered several children with mistresses, and was involved in murder and political intrigue. His reign is synonymous with scandal, and the Borgia name remains ...
ALEXANDER VI: (1431 - 1503, Pope from 1492
The only man to have sold the papacy, Benedict IX was accused of rape, murder, sodomy, and other unspeakable acts. He became pope three times and was forced out due to his debauchery and violence.
Benedict IX | Reign, Papacy & Controversy - Britannica
Ascended to the papacy as a teenager, John XII was notorious for his immoral lifestyle, including allegations of murder, arson, and turning the papal palace into a brothel.
Pope John XII
Remembered for the "Cadaver Synod," Stephen VI exhumed the corpse of his predecessor, Pope Formosus, and put it on trial. The spectacle ended with the corpse being thrown into the Tiber River, and Stephen VI was later imprisoned and killed.
Pope Stephen VI
Came to power through violence, allegedly ordered the murder of rivals, and is believed to have fathered an illegitimate son who later became pope. Sergius III’s reign was marked by nepotism and brutality.
Pope Sergius III
Claimed absolute papal supremacy, clashed with European monarchs, and was accused of heresy and immorality. He ordered the massacre of the town of Palestrina after promising mercy, and his papacy ended in disgrace.
Pope Boniface VIII
His election triggered the Western Schism, splitting the Church with multiple claimants to the papacy. Urban VI was known for his violent temper and ordered the torture and execution of cardinals who opposed him.
Urban VI | Avignon Papacy, Papal Schism & Papal Election
Known for his extravagant spending and for selling indulgences, which contributed to the Protestant Reformation. Leo X’s financial mismanagement and worldliness were widely criticized.
Pope Leo X
Patron of the arts but also notorious for nepotism, sexual scandals, and involvement in political assassinations. He established the Spanish Inquisition and taxed prostitutes while fathering several illegitimate children
Sixtus IV | Renaissance Pope, Patron of the Arts - Britannica
Remembered for his harsh censorship, anti-Semitic policies (including establishing the Roman Ghetto), and opposition to Renaissance humanism.
Paul IV | Counter-Reformation, Papal Bull & Inquisition - Britannica