The papal throne always makes its holder quite popular and powerful. A pope leads the Catholic Church across the world and is the Bishop of Rome. While this position is linked to human rights, equality, and peace, there have been a few popes who have created controversies from time to time. While some have traveled on the path of corruption, others have even made it to physical violence. Read on to know more about such popes that had taken the most controversial decisions while being in the throne.
Pope Stephen VI
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He remained pope from 896 to 897 AD. Pope Stephen VI hated his predecessor Pope Formosus so much that he exhumed and put on trial his rotting corpse. When the corpse was found guilty, he de-fingered and reburied it. He also stripped it of its papal vestments. Later, the dead body of Formosus was thrown in the Tiber.
Pope Benedict IX
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In the 11th century, he became the pope thrice. However, he was the only pope who even sold his papacy to his grandfather, as he wanted to get married. In fact, he was also involved in murders and rapes, as described by Pope Victor III. He led a foul life that also involved bestiality. History may never want to keep him on its pages.
Pope Alexander VI
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This cruel pope held the throne from 1492 to 1503 AD. He was highly corrupt and involved in nepotism. Besides, he maintained illegitimate relations with several women and had at least seven children. To form some political alliances, he even married his daughter thrice.
Pope Leo X
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Holding the throne from 1513 to 1521 AD, Pope Leo X enjoyed a lavish papacy. He drained the treasury within two years and then even sold off Vatican property for church renovation work. Several historians have also termed him a gay. He went on to the extent of threatening worshippers to pay for their sins so their souls could enter heaven.
Pope John XII
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Being in throne from 955 to 964 AD, he was not only involved in relations with many women, but was also involved in several murders. Since he found his grandfather being his father too, he continued the legacy by making his mother his lover.
From heinous crimes to cruelty, several popes in history have stained the history itself with all types of controversies. They not only have tortured innocents, but also taken to bad politics.