The Uncensored History: 7 Popes Who Broke Celibacy Vows And Fathered Children

The history of the Catholic Church's highest office, the Papacy, is often presented as a narrative of piety and divine mandate, but behind the gilded walls of the Vatican lies a tumultuous, human story filled with political intrigue, power struggles, and, perhaps most surprisingly, scandalous sexual activity. As of December 17, 2025, modern papal celibacy is a firm rule, yet historical records confirm that this was not always the case, particularly during the turbulent eras of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

For centuries, the requirement of celibacy for priests and popes was inconsistently enforced, leading to a long list of pontiffs who openly maintained mistresses, fathered illegitimate children, and, in some cases, turned the Apostolic Palace into a site of debauchery. These accounts, often detailed by contemporary adversaries, chroniclers, and even church records, paint a vivid picture of the sheer humanity—and sometimes depravity—of those who wore the Fisherman's Ring.

The Most Notorious: Popes of the Saeculum Obscurum and Renaissance

The period known as the Saeculum Obscurum (Dark Age) and the Renaissance were particularly fertile grounds for papal scandal. During these times, the papacy was as much a political and dynastic power as a spiritual one, and the personal lives of the popes often reflected the secular excesses of the European nobility.

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Pope Alexander VI: The Infamous Borgia Patriarch

Perhaps the most infamous figure on the list of sexually active popes is Pope Alexander VI (born Rodrigo Borgia). His reign (1492–1503) is synonymous with corruption, nepotism, and open sexual conduct.

• Name: Rodrigo Borgia
• Reign: 1492–1503
• Family/Lineage: The notorious Borgia family.
• Primary Mistress: Vanozza dei Catani (Giovanna dei Catanei).
• Illegitimate Children: He fathered at least four children with Vanozza dei Catani: Cesare Borgia, Lucrezia Borgia, Juan Borgia (Giovanni), and Jofré Borgia (Gioffre). He is also believed to have fathered as many as seven to ten illegitimate children in total.
• Other Mistresses: Giulia Farnese (known as "La Bella"), sister of the future Pope Paul III, was one of his later, well-known mistresses.
• Scandals: Alexander VI was notorious for his womanizing, even while serving as a cardinal. His most sensational accusation was hosting the "Joust of Whores" (Ball of the Chestnuts) in 1501, an alleged orgy held in the Apostolic Palace.

Alexander VI’s children were openly acknowledged and benefited from his position, with his son Cesare Borgia becoming a powerful military leader and his daughter Lucrezia Borgia being used to forge political alliances through strategic marriages. His open lifestyle made him a prime target for critics of the Church, fueling the calls for reform that would eventually lead to the Protestant Reformation.

Pope John XII: The "Party Pope" of the 10th Century

Long before the Borgias, Pope John XII (reigned 955–964) set a benchmark for shocking papal behavior. He was consecrated pope at the age of 18, and his brief reign was marked by extreme political and moral corruption.

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• Name: Octavianus (Octavian)
• Reign: 955–964
• Accusations: Contemporary accounts, including the charges made at a synod convened by Emperor Otto I, accused him of a litany of sins: adultery, incest, gambling, turning the Lateran Palace into a brothel, and sexual relationships with multiple women, including widows and wives.
• The End: A popular account, though difficult to verify, suggests that John XII died after being struck on the head by a jealous husband he had cuckolded.

The chronicler Benedict of Soracte noted that John XII had "a collection of women," and his behavior was so scandalous that it led to the Church being referred to as having a "shockingly dirty history".

Pope Sergius III: The Pornocracy and the Marozia Affair

The early 10th century, a time often called the "Pornocracy" or the "Rule of the Harlots," saw the rise of powerful, aristocratic Roman women who controlled the papacy. Pope Sergius III (reigned 904–911) is central to this era.

• Reign: 904–911
• Mistress: Marozia, a powerful Roman noblewoman who was only 15 when their affair began.
• Illegitimate Son: Their son, who was born from this long affair, eventually ascended to the Papacy as Pope John XI (reigned 931–935).

Sergius III’s relationship with Marozia and the subsequent elevation of their son to the highest office highlights the extent to which the papacy was entangled with the powerful Roman families, such as the Theophylacti, during this tumultuous period.

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The Popes Who Were Fathers Before the Papacy

While some popes engaged in sexual relationships while in office, a separate group of pontiffs had acknowledged children before they were ordained or before the strict enforcement of celibacy. For these men, the relationships occurred prior to their elevation to the papacy, often when they were secular clerics or even legally married men.

• Pope Pius II (Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini): Before becoming pope (1458–1464), Pius II was a noted humanist and diplomat who openly admitted to a dissolute youth. He fathered at least two illegitimate children, one in Strasbourg and another in Scotland. He wrote extensively about his youthful indiscretions, which were not uncommon for the time.
• Pope Julius II (Giuliano della Rovere): A powerful Renaissance figure and patron of the arts, Julius II (reigned 1503–1513) was Alexander VI’s rival. He had at least one illegitimate daughter, Felice della Rovere, who was born before he became pope.
• Pope Paul III (Alessandro Farnese): Before his papacy (1534–1549), Paul III, who was a cardinal for 40 years, fathered four children: Pier Luigi Farnese, Paolo, Ranuccio, and Costanza. He was a strong advocate of the Counter-Reformation, but his personal history is a clear example of the lax celibacy rules of the era.

In total, historical estimates suggest that at least 24 popes were allegedly sexually active, with 7 popes legally married before their election, and at least 15 known to have fathered children.

The Evolution of Papal Celibacy and Historical Context

The concept of mandatory celibacy for all priests and bishops has a long, complex history, evolving over centuries. The Church's position on sexual activity for its clergy was not universally codified until relatively late in its history, and enforcement was often a matter of regional custom and political power.

For the early Church, marriage was common, and some early popes, like Pope St. Peter (the first pope), were married. The requirement for celibacy gradually hardened, driven by theological arguments about ritual purity and practical concerns about preventing church lands and wealth from becoming hereditary property passed to clerical children.

The widespread sexual activity among popes in the 10th through 16th centuries was a major catalyst for reform movements. The open scandal of figures like Alexander VI and John XII provided potent ammunition for reformers, including Martin Luther, who questioned the moral and spiritual authority of the Roman Church. This pressure eventually led to a much stricter, more uniform enforcement of celibacy by the time of the Council of Trent (1545–1563), solidifying the practice that remains in place today.

Today, the Catholic Church maintains the tradition of celibacy for priests in the Latin Rite, though there are ongoing discussions about its future. Nevertheless, the documented history of sexually active popes remains a powerful reminder of the deep, often messy intersection of human nature, political power, and spiritual authority within one of the world's oldest institutions. The stories of these popes—from the Borgia dynasty’s excesses to the debauchery of the Saeculum Obscurum—offer a fascinating, if sometimes shocking, look into the Church’s past.