List of murdered Popes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Several Popes have ended their lives violently. The great majority of the first twenty-five Popes are believed to have been martyred. In later times, Pope Stephen VI and Pope Benedict VI were executed by strangling, and Pope John XIV died in not fully clear circumstances while in prison. In addition there were, from the ninth to the twentieth century, rumours, generally without sure foundation (see the references below), that other Popes were murdered. Most of these belonged to a period when the Pope was the ruler of a moderately large state in central Italy, as well as wielding great spiritual power over the Roman Catholic Church.
[edit] Chronological list of Popes (non-martyrs) murdered
- Stephen VI (896-897) - Strangled[1]
- Stephen VIII/(IX) (939-942) - Mutilated[citation needed]
- John XII (955-964) - Murdered by cuckolded husband[citation needed][2]
- Benedict VI (973-974) - Strangled[3]
- John XIV (983-984) - Either by starvation, ill-treatment or direct murder[4]
- Gregory V (996-999) - Poisoned[citation needed]
- Boniface VIII (1294-1303) - Death possibly (though unlikely) from the effects of ill-treatment one month before[5]
Some Popes however are alleged to have been killed but there is little or no evidence to substantiate these claims. The most recent would be the case of Pope John Paul I who some believe was killed during his 33 day papacy.[6]
[edit] Chronological list of Popes who are alleged to have been murdered
- John VIII (872-882) - Allegedly poisoned and then clubbed to death[7]
- Adrian III (884-885)- Allegedly poisoned[citation needed]
- Leo V (903) - Allegedly strangled[8]
- John X (914-928) - Allegedly smothered with pillow[9]
- Stephen VII/(VIII) (928-931) - Allegedly murdered[citation needed]
- Sergius IV (1009-1012) - Allegedly murdered[citation needed]
- Clement II (1046-1047) - Allegedly poisoned[10]
- Damasus II (1048) - Allegedly murdered[citation needed]
- Benedict XI (1304-1305) - Allegedly poisoned; no evidence provided[citation needed]
- John Paul I (1978) - Surprising death just 33 days after Papal election prompted scrutiny and birthed a myriad of conspiracies theories; no evidence provided[11]
[edit] References
- ^ Pope Stephen (VI) VII
- ^ The articlePope John XII says instead that he died eight days after, according to rumour, having been stricken with paralysis in an act of adultery.
- ^ Pope Benedict VI
- ^ Pope John XIV
- ^ Pope Boniface VIII
- ^ Yallop's In Gods Name
- ^ Pope John VIII
- ^ Pope Leo V
- ^ Pope John X
- ^ Pope Clement II
- ^ Pope John Paul I conspiracy theories
