The Bad Popes
The Bad Popes is a 1969 book by E. R. Chamberlin documenting the lives of eight of the most controversial popes :
- Pope Stephen VI, who exhumed and tried his dead predecessor Pope Formosus.
- Pope John XII, who murdered several people.
- Pope Benedict IX, who was accused of selling the Papacy.
- Pope Boniface VIII, who regularly interfered in the politics of neighboring kingdoms.
- Pope Urban VI, who tortured cardinals who had conspired against him.
- Pope Alexander VI, who, besides being openly promiscuous, was found guilty of nepotism.
- Pope Leo X, who once spent of the Papal reserves on a single ceremony, leading Martin Luther to publish the 95 Theses and spark the Protestant Reformation.
- Pope Clement VII, whose power-politicking led to the Sack of Rome.