Rome and Central Italy in the early Middle Ages were marked by feudal violence and near anarchy, as various factions fought each other. The papacy in particular was one of the most sought after prizes, and rivals struggled mightily to seize the Holy See, and things often got… controversial. Nowadays, papal controversies are tame compared to what they used to be. Take the current Pope Francis, a popular reformist who has nonetheless stirred some controversy. Liberal Catholics are unhappy that he is not progressive enough on matters of gender and sexuality. Conservative Catholics are unhappy with his emphasis on wealth disparities and progressive economic policies. However, that is pretty “meh” when compared to history’s most controversial popes. Below are sixteen fascinating facts about one such pope, who dug up and tried the corpse of a hated rival in what came to be known as the “Cadaver Synod”.
16. When the Papacy Was Not So Well Respected
Generally speaking, the papacy is a prestigious institution today, and popes are highly respected figures. Throughout long stretches of the Dark Ages, however, popes were more like Rodney Dangerfield, in that they got no respect. Italy and Rome, particularly in the ninth and tenth centuries, were marked by feudal violence and anarchy, as the entire peninsula was torn apart by the fierce competition of rival aristocratic families. For such factions, the papacy was just another piece and prize in their Medieval Italian version of Game of Thrones. So they fought bitterly to seize the Holy See in order to put its spiritual, economic, and military resources to use in their quarrels.
