Popes Through History

Click on headings to expand them, or links to go to specific articles.

Irenaeus commended the Church at Rome for their Apostolic succession, which is an unbroken line of Bishops in the Churches since the apostles. Irenaeus, who was only the third from the Apostles (through Polycarp to John), wrote:

Since, however, it would be very tedious, in such a volume as this, to reckon up the successions of all the Churches, we do put to confusion all those who, in whatever manner, whether by an evil self-pleasing, by vainglory, or by blindness and perverse opinion, assemble in unauthorized meetings; [we do this, I say,] by indicating that tradition derived from the apostles, of the very great, the very ancient, and universally known Church founded and organized at Rome by the two most glorious apostles, Peter and Paul; as also [by pointing out] the faith preached to men, which comes down to our time by means of the successions of the bishops. For it is a matter of necessity that every Church should agree with this Church, on account of its pre- eminent authority,(3) that is, the faithful every-where, inasmuch as the apostolical tradition has been preserved continuously by those faithful men who exist everywhere.

Another translation of the last statement of this is:

"On account of the chief magistracy [of the empire], the faithful from all parts, representing every Church, are obliged to resort to Rome, and there to come together; so that [it is the distinction of this Church that], in it, the tradition of the apostles has been preserved by Christians gathered together out of all the Churches."

Despite this apostolic succession, which Irenaeus reckoned was present in most churches, Irenaeus himself traveled to Rome to rebuke two Bishops during his lifetime (much like Paul did to Peter) and both submitted to his rebuke.

Heresies arise within established Churches when they do not take correction. This history shows how the heart of the Church at Rome was lost to sin, while retaining its pious exterior. Apostolic succession is no replacement for repentance and conversion.

67 A.D. to 200 A.D.

Early Bishops of Rome (from Liber Pontificalus, and the writings of Irenaeus)

Name	Start	End	Significant activity
Linus	67	79	Taught that women should cover their heads.
Anacletus	79	88	Ordained a number of priests
Clement I	88	98	Wrote a letter to the Corinthians
Evaristus	98	105	None known
Alexander I	105	115	None known
Sixtus	117	126	Decreed that Only ministers can touch the holy vessels, Bishops returning from visiting Rome should not be accepted without a letter, Priests should recite the Sanctus (a song) with the people.
Telesphorus	126	137	Started to celebrate Easter on the Sunday after Passover
Hyginus	138	140	Defined the grades of ecclesiastical hierarchy
Pius	140	154	None known
Anicetus	154	167	Moderately condemned the heresy of Montanism, Gnosticism and Marcionism. Met with Polycarp and accepted that the date of the celebration of Easter should be decided by churches individually.
Soter	167	174	Decreed that marriage is only valid if blessed by a priest.

Early Bishops of Rome (from Liber Pontificalus, a Roman Catholic document)

Name	Start	End	Significant activity
Eleuterus	174	189	Decree that no kind of food should be despised by Christians. Mild response to Montanism
Victor I	189	199	From Africa, he (1) started mass in latin, and (2) excommunicated himself from all other churches for not agreeing with him on the date of Easter. After a rebuke from Irenaeus, he resumed this fellowship.
Zephyrinus	199	217	Decreed that excommunicated sinners could be absolved through pennance. Hippolytus (who claimed to be a disciple of Irenaeus) officially broke with the Church of Rome under Zphyrinus, and is often called the first antipope.
Callixtus	217	222	Established the practice of the absolution of all repented sins. Was similar to Irenaeus in his doctrine of the Godhead, and was rebuked by Hippolytus and Tertullian, who were both early Trinitarians, for his doctrine and morals.
Urban 1	222	230	None known
Pontian	230	235	Died in exile with Hippolytus.
Anterus	235	236	None known
Fabian	236	250	Sent men to evangelize Gaul after the persecutions of Emperor Decius had reduced the Christian population (Gaul was the area where Irenaeus had ministered).
Cornelius	250	253	Little known, Excommunicated Novation.
Lucius 1	253	254	Known for relaxed view on restoration of backsliders
Stephen 1	254	257	Declared that those baptised in splinter churches do not need rebaptism
Sixtus II	257	258	Little known.
Dionysius	259	268	Reorganized Roman Church, assisted church in Cappadocia, and demanded doctrine on Godhead from the church in Alexandria
Felix I	269	274	Wrote a letter to Alexandrian church in support of the Trinity and Incarnation.
Eutychian	275	283	Little known.
Caius	283	296	Little known.
Marcellinus	296	304	Recanted Christianity and sacrificed to idols at Emperor Diocletian's persecution, but later recanted and was martyred.
Marcellus I	308	309	Required severe penance for those that backslid during Diocletian's persecution, and was ousted by Emperor Maxentius because of the resulting inter-christian feuds.
Eusebius	309	309	Lasted as Bishop for one day. Was ousted by Empereor Maxentius for not stopping the inter-Christian riots by admitting the backslidden without pennance.
Miltiades	310	314	Little known.

Early Bishops of Rome (from Liber Pontificalus, a Roman Catholic document)

Name	Start	End	Significant activity
Silvester I	314	335	Present at the Council of Nicea, gave gifts to Constantine I, condemned Arianism.
Mark	336	336	Little known, died of natural causes.
Julius I	337	352	Involved in Arian controversy, and deposition of Athanasius. Wrote "Can you be ignorant, that this is the custom, that we should be written to first, so that from here what is just may be defined" (Epistle of Julius to Antioch, c. xxii).
Liberius	352	366	Admitted to membership the more moderate Arians
Damasus I	366	383	Supporters killed opposing deacon. Accused of Murder and adultery. Established the Vulgate (latin translation of the Bible), and set the modern Catholic Canon.
Siricius	384	399	Protested the death sentence of Priscillian, along with Martin of Tours, by Emperor Magnus Maximus as requested by Bishops from Hispania.
Anastasius I	399	401	FIRST BISHOP TO USE THE TITLE OF POPE. Condemned writings of Origen
Innocent I	402	417	Expanded Rome's authority as the universal settler of disputes
Zosimus	417	418	Fought to establish Rome's authority. Decreed on the blessing of Easter candles.
Boniface I	418	422	Defended the rights of the Pope
Celestine I	422	432	Did not tolerate any deviation from his predecessor's decrees.
Sixtus III	432	440	Dedicated the Basilica "Santa Maria Maggiore" to Mary, the Mother of God. (Official title from Council of Ephesus in 431)
Leo I	440	461	Convinced Attila the Hun not to sack Rome. Increased and extended Papal Authority over various areas (i.e. Gaul), "What Leo believes we all believe, anathema to him who believes anything else. Peter has spoken through the mouth of Leo."
Hilarius	461	468	Fought to establish Rome's authority, and contended with Emperor Anthemius to not allow other churches in Rome.
Simplicius	468	483	Fought heresy and established the Pope's powers.
Felix II	483	492	Fought against heretics and anyone exercising Rome's authority
Gelasius I	492	496	Prolific writer on the Primacy of the Pope. Replaced the pagan festival of fertility and purification (February), with the celebration of the Virgin Mary. Fought with eastern Church over God having two divine natures (Rome's view) vs. one divine nature (Eastern view).
Anastasius II	496	498	Endeavoured to reconcile with the eastern Church, and is vilified by subsequent Popes for doing this.
Symmachus	498	514	Accused by Senator Festus of fornication, decreed to be above reproach by human court, but not cleared of charges.
Hormisdas	514	523	Ended the schism with the eastern Churches, with Rome victorious
John I	523	526	Put in prison by Theodoric the Great for not listening to him.
Felix IV	526	530	The choice of Tehodoric the Great for Pope. Defined church teaching on grace and free-will.
Boniface II	530	532	Little known
John II	533	535	First pope to adopt another name. Dealt with the election process of Popes.
Agapetus I	535	536	Secured a written declaration of faith from Eastern Emperor Justinian I.
Silverius	536	537	Opposed the Monophysite heresy. Deposed on account of treason.
Vigilius	537	555	Silverius put in his keeping, where he soon died. Fought hard against Monophysitism, and eventually fled Rome when it was attacked by the Goths.
Pelagius I	556	561	Accepted Emperor Justinians "three chapters" reconciliation of monophysitism, which subsequent Popes tried to reverse. Was in Rome when sacked by Totila the Goth.
John III	561	574	Little known
Benedict I	575	579	Election confirmed by the Byzantium emperor. Little known
Pelagius II	579	590	Promoted the celibacy of the clergy
Gregory I	590	604	Converted the Anglo-Saxon kings (through arranged marriages) to counter the spread of Christianity from Ireland, which had developed independently from Rome.
Sabinian	604	606	Little known, started the ringing of Bells at the Eucharist.

Bishops of Rome during the Dark Ages

Name	Start	End	Significant activity
Boniface III	607	607	Received a decree from the Emperor Phocas that the Bishop of Rome was the universal bishop.
Boniface IV	608	615	Converted the Pantheon (temple to Jupiter, Venus, and Mars) was rededicated as a church to the Virgin Mary and martyrs.
Adeodatus I	615	618	First Pope to use a seal.
Boniface V	619	625	Christianized England.
Honorius I	625	638	Agreed with the eastern concept of Monothelitism, and was denounced by subsequent popes as a result.
Severinus	640	640	Removed from office by Emperor Heraclius for not signing a Monothelite profession of faith.
John IV	640	642	Wrote to North Ireland about the keeping of Easter. Got Emperor Heraclius to disown Monothelitism.
Theodore I	642	649	Fought against the Monothelites.
Martin I	649	655	Published a decree against Monothelitism, and was arrested by Emperor Constans II for this and banished.
Eugene I	654	657	Fought with Constans agains Monothelitism, saved from banishment by the advance of Muslisms against Rhodes.
Vitalian	657	672	Fought with Constans agains Monothelitism, increased Rome's control over the Church in England
Adeodatus II	672	676	Little known
Donus	676	678	Paved the enclosure at St. Peter's Bascillica, and restored other churches
Agatho	678	681	Healed the Monothelite schism with the east (Rome won) and was the first pope to take the Papal Oath.
Leo II	682	683	Confirmed the results of the 6th eccumenical council to the Bishops of the west.
Various	684	715	Benedict II (684-685), John V (685 - 686), Conon (686 - 687), Sergius I (687 - 701), John VI (701 - 705), John VII (705 - 707), Sisinnius (708 - 708), Constantine (708 - 715)
Gregory II	716	731	Paid off the Lormbards (German warriors) with 30 pounds of gold in return for - more |- missionaries in Germany, and more Papal authority in England and Ireland. Excommunicated Byzantine emperor Leo III.
Gregory III	731	741	Promoted the church in Northern Europe, condemned the destruction of Icons.
Zachary	741	752	Built a church over the temple of Minerva, and was involved in various French/Germanic politics
Stephen II	752	757	Consecrated Pippin the younger as king of France and protector of the church of Rome. Pippin conquered territory from the Lombards in return.
Paul I	757	767	Involved in double dealing, politics, and lived in fear of an invasion from Greece.
Stephen III	767	772	Renewed allegiance with the Lombards
Adrian I	772	795	Good relations with Charlemagne, who conquered the Lombards.
Leo III	795	816	Accused of Perjury and and adultery, Protected by Charlemagne, reinstated as Pope, and crowned Charlemagne the Emperor of the Roman Empire. PAPAL ROME.
Stephen IV	816	817	Ordered the Roman people to swear fidelity to Louis the Pious.
Paschal I	817	824	Commisioned missionaries to Scandinavia and the Danes. Two papal officials testifying against the pope were mysteriously blinded and beheaded.
Eugene II	824	827	Frankish nobles granted right to elect Pope. Greek emperor Michael II persecutes image-worshipers (Catholics). Supported learning and caring for the poor.
Valentine	827	827	Little known
Gregory IV	827	844	Insisted on the supremacy of St. Peter's successor over the Roman Emperor after Charlemagne's children had a feud. Promoted All Saints day.
Sergius II	844	847	Negotiated with Roman Emperor, Saracens (Muslims) sacked Rome. Accused of bribery to establish church officials.
Leo IV	847	855	Fought against the Muslims, fortified Rome.
Benedict III	855	858	Alfred the Great visited Rome (King of England) and gives golden chalice to pope. Deals with Kings of France.
Nicholas I	858	867	Consolidated Papal Power,
Adrian II	867	872	Wife and daughter assassinated after election. Dealt with Papal power over eastern churches.
John VIII	872	882	Forced to pay tribute to the Saracenes, Allowed use of Slavonic language in German churches.
Various	882	896	Marinus I (882 - 884), Adrian III (884 - 885), Stephen V (885 - 891), Formosus (891 - 896), Boniface VI (896 - 896)
Stephen VI	896	897	Exhumed the body of Formosus, dressed it in papal garments, and all acts disanulled by Stephen VI, clothed in lay garments and buried body. Strangled for this "Cadaver Synod".
Romanus	897	897	Elected and Deposed.
Theodore II	897	897	Recovered body of Pope Formosus. Pope for 20 days.
John IX	898	900	Involved in politics.
Benedict IV	900	903	Crowned Leo of Provence as Holy Roman Emperor
Leo V	903	903	Deposed and Murdered
Sergius III	904	911	Papacy a pawn of warring factions. Pornocracy (rule of Harlots from 904-963). Controlled by families under the influence of women. Marozia was the concubine of Pope Sergius III and the mother of Pope John XI. She was also accused of arranging the murder of Pope John X. First Pope depicted wearing Papal Tiara.
Anastasius III	911	913	Illigitimate son of Sergius III. Evangelized Normandy.
Lando	913	914	Little known. Last to use original name.
John X	914	928	Favorite of Theodora, wife of Theophylact. Led italian princes into battle against the Saracens, won. Crowned Berenger Roman Emperor.
Leo VI	928	928	Little known
Stephen VII	928	931	Brief reign, elected by Marozia (daughter of Theodora) until her son could be elected pope. Was then assassinated.
John XI	931	935	Elected by Marozia (mother) until she was overthrown by his younger brother, who stripped Rome of all non-spiritual power.
Leo VII	936	939	Elected by Alberic II, involved in Italian politics, elected Frederic of Mainz as reformer in Germany who was given authority to drive out the Jews who refused to be baptized.
Stephen VIII	939	942	Little known
Marinus II	942	946	Concentrated on administration
Agapetus II	946	955	Appealed to Otto the Great to attack Rome to break the rule of Alberic II.
John XII	955	964	A descendent of Charlemagne. Known for adultery (with neice, father's concubine, widows). Castrated and killed opponent, made a toast to the devil. Granted imperial crown to Otto the great. Said to have been murdered by a jealous husband.
Benedict V	964	964	Elected and Deposed.
Leo VIII	963	965	Set as pope by Otto the great (who had deposed John XII unsucessfully). Widely rumored to have died during fornication.
John XIII	965	972	Arranged marriace of Otto II to Neice of Byzantine emperor to reconcile eastern and western churches. Reported to have been killed by jealous husband.
Benedict VI	973	974	Set as pope by Otto I, and strangled after Otto's death, before Otto II could come to his rescue.
Benedict VII	974	983	Quite rule, related to Alberic II
John XIV	983	984	Elected and put in prison by Antipope Boniface VII (where he died) on the death of Otto II (Otto III was 3 years old).
John XV	985	996	Boniface VII only ruled for 4 months. Known for bribery, influence held in check by Empress Theophano
Gregory V	996	999	Grandson of Otto I, Pope at 24. Crowned Otto III Emperor. Otto and Gregory publicly mutilated antipope Cresentius II. Died suddenly.
Silvester II	999	1003	French Pope who introduced Arab arithmatic and Astrology. Was a scientist (thought to dabble with occult), worked against concubiny in the clergy.
John XVII	1003	1003	Little known
John XVIII	1004	1009	Dealt with administration, mission to Slavs, raids of Saracenes. Ultimately abdicated. Puppet of Crescentius III, descendant of Theodora.
Sergius IV	1009	1012	Puppet of Crescentius III, descendant of Theodora. Wrote Papal Bull calling for Islam to be removed from the Holy Land.
Benedict VIII	1012	1024	Descendant of Theophylact. Crowned Henry II of Germany Emperor. Allied with Normans and defeated Saracenes, reconquered south-Italian vassel states that had defected to Greek rule.
John XIX	1024	1032	Not previously a clergymember. Accepted bribe to declare Patriarch of Constantinople an ecumenical bishop. Involved in politics, including with Poland.
Benedict IX	1032	1044	Served as Pope 3 times. Was between 12 - 20 when elected Pope, son of Alberic III. Accused of Homosexuality and Beastiality, rape, adultery, and murders. Abdictated for money.
Silvester III	1045	1045	Deposed for bribing way into election
Benedict IX	1045	1045	Served as Pope 3 times. Sold position to godfather in order to marry.
Gregory VI	1045	1046	Godfather of Benedict IX. Resigned for purchasing the papacy.
Benedict IX	1047	1048	Served as Pope 3 times. Driven out by Damasius II and abdicated again.
Clement II	1046	1047	Crowned Henry III as Holy Roman Emperor. Poisoned by lead sugar. Decreed against purchasing the pontificate.
Damasus II	1048	1048	Possibly died of poison or malaria.
Leo IX	1049	1054	Excommunicated the patriarch of Constantinople, splitting the easter and western churches (Schism of 1054). Favoured democracy for election. Dealt with marriage of the clergy and bribery. Defeated in battle against the Normans,
Victor II	1055	1057	Became advisor to Henry IV (infant) and widown empress Agnes, giving him great power.
Stephen IX	1057	1058	Supported clerical celibacy.
Nicholas II	1059	1061	Regulated future elections to the Papacy. Allied with Normans in Italy.
Alexander II	1061	1073	Supported clerical celibacy. Declared that the conversion of jews should not be by force.
Gregory VII	1073	1085	Involved in politics with Henry IV. Was deposed and exiled after instituting reforms.
Victor III	1086	1087	Fought to remain in power. Issue was lay investiture (emperor or pope appointing officials.
Urban II	1088	1099	Started the first crusade, and set up the royal court to run the church. Started long-term conversion of Sicily. Various politics and arranged marriages of kings.
Paschal II	1099	1118	Granted investiture to Henry V after imprisonment, various infighting with emperor after death of countess Matilda, an ally.
Gelasius II	1118	1119	Established a staff for the papacy. More fighting with Henry V
Calixtus II	1119	1124	Settled investiture controversy (won). Member of aristocracy. Renewed Papal power. Renewed indulgences for crusaders.
Honorius II	1124	1130	Sanctioned the Knights Templar. More dealings with Henry V
Innocent II	1130	1143	Fights with antipope, finally won.
Celestine II	1143	1144	Absolution of Louis VII of France.
Lucius II	1144	1145	Fought revolution in Rome that wanted to deprive Papal authority of power. Died in battle.
Eugene III	1145	1153	Fought to regain Papal authority in Rome, not successful.
Anastasius IV	1153	1154	Made peace with various political parties.
Adrian IV	1154	1159	An Englishman. Executed opposition leader. Byzantine attack in south Italy and Allied with Pope against Normans. Granted dominion over Ireland to Englishman Henry II. Henry II invaded Ireland, and imposed a tax payable to Rome, and imposed feudal system.
Alexander III	1159	1181	Fights with antipopes, excommunicating, and re-admitting into memberships. (Henry II of England, William I of Scotland)
Lucius III	1181	1185	Started the Inquisition to oppose the Cathars, Paterines, Waldensians, and Arnoldists. Disputed with Emperor Frederick over estate of Matilda of Tuscany.
Urban III	1185	1187	Refused to crown Prince Henry, who cooperated with the rebel senate in Rome. Political disputes.
Gregory VIII	1187	1187	little known
Clement III	1187	1191	Resolved political disputes with citizens of Rome, incited the third Crusade, made the Scottish church report directly to Rome.
Celestine III	1191	1198	Confirmed the Teutonic order of knights. Crowned, then excommunicated Henry VI (Emperor)
Innocent III	1198	1216	Used Papal troops to reestablish Papal authority after the death of Henry VI. Crowned Otto IV as Emperor, who promised to persecute heresy. Started the Albigensian Crusade. Supported Franciscans and Dominicans. Incited fourth Crusade. Required Jews to wear distinctive clothing.
Honorius III	1216	1227	Started 5th Crusade. Continued to persecute heresies. Wrote a catalogue of fallen angels and instruction on the art of demonology.
Gregory IX	1227	1241	Various politics with Frederick II (Emperor), Endorsed the northern Crusade and conquest of Russia. Founded Papal legal theory
Celestine IV	1241	1241	Little known. (17 days in office)
Innocent IV	1243	1254	Fought with Frederick II over Papal rights. Excommunicated and reinstated based on desire to expand Papal territory. Acknowledged the right of the state to punish heretics convicted of heresy.
Alexander IV	1254	1261	Attempted to unite with Eastern orthodoxy, established the inquistion in France, Crusade against the Tatars
Urban IV	1261	1264	Instituted festival of Corpus Christi, Involved in politics.
Clement IV	1265	1268	Continued papal political war against the Hohenstaufen dynasty in Sicily. Killed the heir in battle.
Gregory X	1271	1276	The Visconti Coat of Arms is the image of a large snake devouring a male child feet first. Appealed for Crusades.
Various	1276	1280	Innocent V (1276 - 1276), Adrian V (1276 - 1276), John XXI (1276 - 1277), Nicholas III (1277 - 1280)
Martin IV	1281	1285	Appointed Charles of Anjou as Roman Senator, and excommunicated Byzantine emperor. Charles was overthrown, and Martin IV left Rome. Fond of wine.
Honorius IV	1285	1287	Fought with Sicily, Consolidated Rome under Papal Rule, Used italian banking houses for collecting papal dues. Furthered the inquistion. Marked the "Apostolic Brethren" as heretics.
Nicholas IV	1288	1292	Loved the Church, Crusades, and extermination of Heresy. Supported missionaries amoung the Chinese. Granted wealth to Cardinals.
Celestine V	1294	1294	Not much, abdicated.
Boniface VIII	1294	1303	"Imprisoned Celestine V (who died in prison). Declared that it "is absolutely necessary for salvation that every human creature be subject to the Roman pontiff". This led to feuds with certain kings (Philip IV of france, and Albert I of Hapsburg). Philip had him beaten, after which he died a month later. Also presumed to have said (Based on a posthumus investigation held from 1303-1311 republished by J. Coste) that The Christian religion is a human invention like the faith of the Jews and the Arabs; The dead will rise just as little as my horse which died yesterday; Mary, when she bore Christ, was just as little a virgin as my own mother when she gave birth to me; Sex and the satisfaction of natural drives is as little a sin as hand washing; Paradise and hell only exist on earth; the healthy, rich and happy people live in the earthly paradise, the poor and the sick are in the earthly hell; The world will exist forever, only we do not; Any religion and especially Christianity does not only contain some truth, but also many errors. The long list of Christian untruth includes trinity, the virgin birth, the godly nature of Jesus, the eucharistic transformation of bread and wine into the body of Christ and the resurrection of the dead.
Benedict XI	1303	1304	8 months, did little.
Clement V	1305	1314	Removed the Papal throne to Avignon, suppressed the Templars as heretics (also for sodomy, but probably as they were a wealthy order). Acted as a French pawn. First Pope to be crowned with Papal tiara. Incited numerous wars.
John XXII	1316	1334	Avignon Rule. Involved in much politics. Unorthodox teachings almost had him considered a heretic by subsequent popes.
Benedict XII	1334	1342	Led inquisition against the Cathars. Carefully documented work and interviews. Theologian. Campaigned against the Immaculate Conception.
Clement VI	1342	1352	Supported indulgences, reigned during the Black Plague. Lived lavishly and He claimed to have "lived as a sinner among sinners",
Innocent VI	1352	1362	didn't do too much
Urban V	1362	1370	Disciplinarian. Enforced a crusade against the Turks.
Gregroy XI	1370	1378	Against heresies and monastic orders. 19 propositions of John Wycliffe condemned in 1377.
Urban VI	1378	1389	Excommunicated by the antipope, called the antichrist. Declared war on antipope.
Boniface IX	1389	1404	Re-established Rome's power. Numerous stuff.
Innocent VII	1404	1406	Fled and fought way back into power.
Gregory XII	1406	1415	Fought against two antipopes. Finally ended Western Schism.
Martin V	1417	1431	Abolished the laws against the Jews after they broght him many gifts.
Eugene IV	1431	1447	Signed agreements with the Armenians, Jacobites, Nestorians, and Maronites. Crusade against Turkey defeated. Hated Heresy.
Nicholas V	1447	1455	Legitimized the slave trade of "Saracens, Muslims, pagans and any other unbelievers" to hereditary slavery. Constantiople sacked by Turks.
Callixtus III	1455	1458	Ordered a new trial against Joan of Arc, who was vindicated.
Pius II	1458	1464	Wrote his own life story.
Paul II	1464	1471	Pledged to improve the morals of the Romans, but never did. Loved his own image. Rumors of homosexuality
Sixtus IV	1471	1484	Founded Sistene Chapel. Declared a new crusade. Consented to the Spanish inquisition, instituted the feast of the immaculate conception.
Innocent VIII	1484	1492	Brought measures against witches and magicians in Germany. Supported the Spanish Inquisition. Received Moorish slaves, and redistributed them among roman curia. Received blood transfusions from three boys, all of whom died. Was known to have many children, only two of which publicly declared (others were 'neices and nephews'). (Encyclopaedia Britannica 1911)
Alexander VI	1492	1503	Was admired by Niccolo Machiavelli, Received many indulgences. Daughter married lavishly in the Vatican. Had four children by a mistress (three sons and a daughter: Giovanni, Cesare, Goffredo (or Giuffre) and Lucrezia). Son held "banquet of Chestnuts" where 50 prostitutes were invited to entertain the guests. Spent the Vatican's wealth on his family, and increased the Vatican's wealth by indulgences. Son started confiscating posessions by falsly accusing someone and sentencing them to death. Opponents were excommunicated. Left his daughter in charge of the Pope's office while he went to fight the French army, and then arranged her marriage to the son of the Duke of Ferrara. Numerous murders and imprisonments. (Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition (1911))
Pius III	1503	1503	26 days as a pope.
Julius II	1503	1513	Founded the Swiss guard. Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel. Formed the Holy League of 1511 and expelled the French from Italy. Was a political and miliatry, rather than a religious leader.

Bishops of Rome during the Reformation

Name	Start	End	Significant activity
Leo X	1513	1521	Issued Bull against Martin Luther. Ratified the censorship of books by Alexander VI. Involved in much politics and military. Often travelled around Rome lavishly, with a panther and elephant. "Under his pontificate, Christianity assumed a pagan character, which, passing from art into manners, gives to this epoch a strange complexion. Crimes for the moment disappeared, to give place to vices; but to charming vices, vices in good taste, such as those indulged in by Alcibiades and sung by Catullus." (Alexandre Dumas) Assassined various cardinals who opposed his lavish lifestyle.
Adrian VI	1522	1523	Was previously the Inqisitor General of Aragon
Clement VII	1523	1534	An illigitimate child of Giuliano de' Medici. Politics with Rome and Italy and Spain saw the Vatican sacked by a Cardinal. Installed illegitimate son Alessandro as Duke of Florence. Paid not to die after a defeat in battle, and caused the English Schism (and Church of England) after denying Henry VIII's divorce.
Paul III	1534	1549	Elected grandsons as cardinals. Revived the 'Holy Office" of the inquisition.
Julius III	1550	1555	Lived lavishly, possibly scandalous. Chose a 17 year old as a cardinal (who later commited murder and rape). Built a villa lavishly decorated with immodest pagan art.
Marcellus II	1555	1555	22 day rule
Paul IV	1555	1559	"father of the Roman inquisition". Created a Roman Ghetto for Jews and required them to wear distinctive clothing. introduced the Index Librorum Prohibitorum or 'Index of Prohibited Books' to Venice.
Pius IV	1559	1565	Killed nephews of former pope. Formulated the Tridentine Creed. Continued the inquisition.
Pius V	1566	1572	Started reformation of the clergy. Standardized the Holy Mass. Opposed Huguenots. Numerous Bulls. Started wearing white.
Gregory XIII	1572	1585	Produced the Gregorian calendar. Tried to convert England through political and military means. Slaughtered the Heugenots
Sixtus V	1585	1590	Severe. Imposed taxes, imposed order.
Urban VII	1590	1590	Imposed first smoking ban in churches.
Gregory XIV	1590	1591	Freed all Philippine slaves (but not african slaves).
Innocent IX	1591	1591	short rule
Clement VIII	1592	1605	Openly anti-simetic, vigorous law enforcement, established peace through politics.
Leo XI	1605	1605	short rule
Paul V	1605	1621	Various relations with England, Spain and Japan.
Gregory XV	1621	1623	Wrote against witchcraft.
Urban VIII	1623	1644	Covers part of the 30 years war, last Pope to extend papal territory. Nepotism - helped his family through his office.
Innocent X	1644	1655	Shrewn politician. Encyclopaedia Britannia 9th edition (1880): "Throughout his reign the influence exercised over him by Maidalchini, his deceased brother's wife, was very great, and such as to give rise to gross scandal, for which, however, there appears to have been no adequate ground... The avarice of his female counsellor gave to his reign a tone of oppression and sordid greed which probably it would not otherwise have shown, for personally he was not without noble and reforming impulses." Guido Reni's painting of the Archangel Michael, trampling Satan in which the features of Innocent X are immediately recognized
Alexander VII	1655	1667	Converted Queen Christina of Sweden. Wrote that the statement that "that Christ died, or shed His blood for all men" was heretical.
Clement IX	1667	1669	opened the first public opera house in Rome
Clement X	1670	1676	Increased presence in Canada. Politics with Poland/
Innocent XI	1676	1689	Turned deficit by living frugally.
Alexander VIII	1689	1691	Lowered taxes to subsidize other kingdom's efforts against the turks.
Innocent XII	1691	1700	Ruled against Nepotism and simony.
Clement XI	1700	1721	Fought against heresies
Innocent XIII	1721	1724	Stopped admission to the Jesuits, Supported James III (the pretender)
Benedict XIII	1724	1730	Tried to stop lavish lifestyles of clergy members
Clement XII	1730	1740	Improved papal finances by reinstating the public lottery. Decreed against the freemasons, named 8 year old as a cardinal.
Benedict XIV	1740	1758	Ruled on ancestor worship vs. veneration of saints, and the name of God in Chinese.

Bishops of Rome

Name	Start	End	Significant activity
Clement XIII	1758	1769	Put fig leaves on all the sculpures in the vatican. Practiced nepotism. Jesuits expelled from Spain and portugal.
Clement XIV	1769	1774	Supressed the Jesuits.
Pius VI	1775	1799	French Revolution. Was finally taken captive and died in French custody. Effigy burnt in France.
Pius VII	1800	1823	Wore a Paper-mache tierra on coronation, as the original was in french hands. In french control for 6 years, Napoleon defeated. Revived the inquisition.
Leo XII	1823	1829	Very strict ruler. Ruled Jews must sell property and wear distincitive clothing. Prohibited vaccinations.
Pius VIII	1829	1830	Did little.
Gregory XVI	1831	1846	Opposed democracy, banned railways in papal states, opposed to progress. Involved in numerous executions. Loved playing blind-man's bluff with cardinals, and known to throw handfulls of money to his servants off his balcony, while he laughed at them scrambling for the money.
Pius IX	1846	1878	Adopted Immaculate conception and papal infallibility. Denounced secret societies, Bible associations, false philosophy, communism, and the press. Last Pope to hold temporal powers, and marked the end of the Papal states. Arranged the first vatican council. Embraced technology.
Leo XIII	1878	1903	Supported French Republic, but refused to let Italian Catholics vote. Condemned the heresy of Americanism.
Pius X	1903	1914	Motto was " Instaurare Omnia in Christo, or "to restore all things in Christ." Restored the Gregorian Chant. Denounced the separation of church and state in France. Wrote against modernization and revelation.

Modern Bishops of Rome

Name	Start	End	Significant activity
Benedict XV	1914	1922	WWI. Fought for a settled peace from 1914 vs. a total victory by one side or the other. Strong devotion to the Virgin Mary and humanitarian efforts.
Pius XI	1922	1939	Inaugurated the Catholic Action movement. Established Vatican Radio. On exumenism, ruled that protestants could only be reconciled by denouncing all the doctrines they rejected. Vatican city receives sovereignty. Mixed response to the rise of Hitler and Mussolini.
Pius XII	1939	1958	Used Papal infallibility to define assumption of Mary. Addressed family planning and evolution. Appointed two Jews to work in the Vatican, but did not assist the thousands who died in concentration camps. Stalled diplomated efforts to export Jews to safer countries. Non-responsive in WWII. Described by the British foreign council as the "the greatest moral coward of our age". The vatican stated that it was "unable to denounce publicly particular atrocities" and only addressed humanity in vague and general terms. Opposed communism.
John XXIII	1958	1963	Called the second vatican council to promote ecumenism. Met with the archbishop of Canterbury. Awarded the "presidential medal of Freedom" by U.S. president Lyndon B. Johnson.
Paul VI	1963	1978	Implemented the decrees of the second vatican council. Addressed birth control. Met with orthodox patriarch, and travelled the world.
John Paul I	1978	1978	Lasted 33 days. Known as the smiling Pope.
John Paul II	1978	2005	Instrumental in the fall of communism, expanded influence in the third world. Appealed to the youth. was morally conservative. Travelled worldwide. Supported ecumenism.
Benedict XVI	2005	present	Fights secularism, promotes ecumenism. Deals with strong allegations of paedophiles in the priesthood under his watch as Archbishop, Cardinal and Pope.

Navigation

Home Our Podcast The List of Problems Life Story Prophecies & Visions Seven Seals Was William Branham Honest? Doctrines

Church Ages Jesus Languages Videos Print Resources Help! Facebook Contact Us