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Lewdness on the Throne of Peter. The Stories of Papal Lovers in Ancient Vatican Politics
Amidst the impending baptism of influential figures, a web of scandalous plots brewed among aristocratic women, influencing the destiny of the Papal State by entangling themselves around successive popes.
It all began in January 904. At that time, Teofilakt, the count from Tusculum near Rome, captured Pope Christopher. He declared that Christopher had been chosen unlawfully. Teofilakt threw Christopher into a cell and proceeded to choose a new Holy Father. According to the laws of the time, the clergy and noble families of Rome were to choose the popes.
Nepotism and cronyism in the Vatican
However, for aristocratic families, the throne was such a coveted prize that they didn’t hesitate to use violence to seize it. Their “own” pope could grant positions and benefits to their close ones, which were abundant in the substantial Papal State at that time. Therefore, the count ensured that a bishop related to him, who took the name Sergius III, became the new Holy Father.
After establishing Teofilakt’s puppet, he became the actual ruler of Rome. Those hierarchs who were…
