The Albizzi were one of the oldest families in Florence and led the republican government for two generations. By 1427, they were the most powerful family in the city, and far richer than the Medici.

Whether or not Alexander VI actually participated in such sinful acts may never be known, but all of his other deeds have earned him the title of most corrupt pope.

This story appears in the January/February 2017 issue of National Geographic History magazine. On a spring day in 1480, Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia ordered various astrologers to his home in Rome to ...

Grotesque but true: Pope Stephen VI, elected in 896, decided to exhume the body of the previous pope, Formosus, and put it on trial. Formosus's body was dressed up in papal clothes and propped up ...

Argentine-born Pope Francis Wednesday welcomed former US President Bill Clinton at his Casa Santa Marta residence. “Thank you very much for visiting me,” the former Archbishop of Buenos Aires ...

You can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.

Fabrizio Gifuni (Paolo VI)Mauro Marino (Don Pasquale Macchi)Antonio Catania (Padre Giulio)Mariano Rigillo (Cardinale Tisserant)Claudio Botosso (Roberto Poloni)Fabrizio Bucci (Matteo Poloni)Luca ...

Pope Francis apologized Tuesday after he was quoted using a vulgar term about gays to reaffirm the Catholic Church's ban on gay priests. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni issued a statement ...

Pope Francis apologized Tuesday after he was quoted using a vulgar and derogatory term about gay men to reaffirm the Catholic Church’s ban on gay priests. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni issued a ...

The Albizzi were one of the oldest families in Florence and led the republican government for two generations. By 1427, they were the most powerful family in the city, and far richer than the Medici.