8. Julius II, “The Warrior Pope,” Had Syphilitic Scars
Julius II, the “Warrior Pope” who conquered parts of Italy to add to papal holdings, dedicated his life to making the Church a secular power. In his distaste for his predecessor, Julius took a moral stand against Alexander VI, but he didn’t have a leg to stand on regarding sexual relations. Julius also conveniently bypassed the celibacy vow, fathering three daughters before he took the papacy. Like his uncle, Sixtus IV, Julius was most likely bisexual. Rumors of his attraction to men persisted throughout his pontificate, although there isn’t much evidence to confirm or deny his activities.
Accused of frequenting the male prostitutes of Rome, Julius’ fondness for his close associates opened him up to ridicule. The pope hauled the governor of Bologna to Rome to answer accusations of corruption and to beg Julius’ forgiveness. The ordinarily intransigent pope buckled in the presence of the governor, indicating to witnesses and the public, that Julius had romantic feelings – or at least an attraction – to the man. Upon the murder of one of his closest companions, Cardinal Alidosi, Julius grieved horrendously; he barricaded himself in his rooms, and he refused to eat. After he emerged, the pope traveled from Ravenna to Rimini in a closed litter, from which passers-by could hear the pope sobbing.
After a famous spat with Julius, King Louis XII of France called the Fifth Council of the Lateran to check the pope’s power. However, the council really gathered religious officials intent on deposing Julius. At the meeting, Louis’ supporters shamed Julius as a sodomite, declaring that ulcers covered the pope’s skin from complications of syphilis. This particular accusation seems to be true. On Good Friday in 1508, the pope refused to let the people of Rome kiss his feet because of the painful lesions on them.
