The history of the papacy stretches over two millennia, and during that long span the office of pope has occasionally intersected with violence. The answer, according to most scholarly sources, is four. When readers ask how many popes have been assassinated, they are usually seeking a clear count backed by historical evidence rather than speculation. Below is a detailed look at those four pontiffs, the circumstances surrounding their deaths, and why the topic continues to fascinate historians and the general public alike.
Historical Overview of Papal Violence
The pope, as the spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church, has also held temporal authority over the Papal States for centuries. On the flip side, while many popes died of natural causes, illness, or old age, a small number met violent ends that historians classify as assassinations. Think about it: this dual role made the pontiff a target for political rivals, noble families, and factional groups seeking to influence church policy or seize control of central Italy. It is important to distinguish between outright murder, deaths resulting from imprisonment or neglect, and cases where modern conspiracy theories suggest foul play without concrete proof. The four cases discussed here are widely accepted as genuine assassinations based on contemporary chronicles, papal records, and later scholarly analysis.
The Four Assassinated Popes
| Pope | Reign | Year of Death | Manner of Death | Primary Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John VIII | 872‑882 | 882 | Stabbed (reportedly by a relative or member of the papal court) | Liber Pontificalis, Annals of Fulda |
| Leo V | 903 | 903 | Strangled in prison | Liber Pontificalis, Chronicle of Salerno |
| Benedict VI | 972‑974 | 974 | Strangled by order of the Crescentii family | Liber Pontificalis, Chronicle of Benedict of Soracte |
| John XIV | 983‑984 | 984 | Died in prison, likely murdered | Liber Pontificalis, Thietmar of Merseburg |
Pope John VIII (872‑882)
John VIII is often cited as the first pope to fall victim to assassination. His papacy was marked by intense political turmoil: he confronted Saracen raids in southern Italy, negotiated with the Byzantine Empire, and struggled against powerful Roman nobles. On the flip side, according to the Liber Pontificalis, John VIII was stabbed to death in 882 by a member of his own entourage—possibly a relative named Robert or a disgruntled cleric seeking revenge for the pope’s strict reforms. The assassination plunged Rome into a brief period of instability, underscoring how papal authority could be violently challenged from within the curia itself That's the part that actually makes a difference..
Pope Leo V (903)
Leo V’s pontificate lasted barely a month before he was deposed by the antipope Christopher. Imprisoned in the Castel Sant’Angelo, Leo V was reportedly strangled on the orders of Christopher’s supporters. Contemporary chroniclers note that his death occurred while he was still recognized as the legitimate pope by many factions, making his killing a politically motivated assassination rather than a simple consequence of deposition. The episode illustrates how the volatile politics of the early 10th century could turn a papal imprisonment into a fatal act.
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Pope Benedict VI (972‑974)
Benedict VI’s short reign unfolded amid the dominance of the Crescentii, a powerful Roman aristocratic clan. And after being elected with the support of Emperor Otto I, Benedict VI attempted to assert independence from the Crescentii. Which means in response, the family had him seized and imprisoned in the Castel Sant’Angelo, where he was strangled in 974. The Liber Pontificalis records that his death was ordered by Crescentius the Elder, highlighting the intersection of papal authority and secular noble power. Benedict VI’s assassination is frequently cited as a clear case of a pope eliminated to serve a family’s political ambitions Not complicated — just consistent..
Pope John XIV (983‑984)
John XIV,
