# Has any pope been assassinated?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-any-pope-been-assassinated/382036
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [November 28, 2006, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-any-pope-been-assassinated/382036 "2006-11-28T04:37:16Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@DaveRaver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveRaver)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2006, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-any-pope-been-assassinated/382036/1 "2006-11-28T04:37:16Z")
Ever?
---
### Author:  [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2006, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-any-pope-been-assassinated/382036/2 "2006-11-28T04:48:50Z")
From [here](http://media.isnet.org/kristen/Ensiklopedia/AssassinatedPontiffs.html):
> [@](#):
>
> The following is a list of murdered pontiffs and the way in
> which they are thought to has been removed:
>
> John VIII (872-882): Poisoned and clubbed to death
> Adrian III, St. (884-885): Rumored poisoned
> Stephen VI (896-897): Strangled
> Leo V (903): Murdered
> John X (914-928): Suffocated under a pillow
> Stephen VII (VIII) (928-931): Possibly murdered
> Stephen VIII (IX) (939-942): Mutilated and died from injuries
> John XII (955-964): Suffered a stroke while with a mistress
> or murdered by an outraged husband
> Benedict VI (973-974): Strangled by a priest
> John XIV (983-984): Starved to death or poisoned
> Gregory V (996-999): Rumored poisoned, probably malaria
> Sergius IV (1009-1012): Possibly murdered
> Clement II (1046-1047): Rumored poisoned
> Damasus II (1048): Rumored murdered
> Boniface VIII (1294-1303): Died from abuse received while a
> captive of the French in Anagni
---
### Author:  [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2006, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-any-pope-been-assassinated/382036/3 "2006-11-28T04:51:22Z")
St. Peter was executed by the Romans-does that count?
---
### Author:  [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2006, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-any-pope-been-assassinated/382036/4 "2006-11-28T04:53:18Z")
I was actually thinking the same question earlier today! Weird…
---
### Author:  [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2006, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-any-pope-been-assassinated/382036/5 "2006-11-28T06:15:48Z")
If we’re going to include potential murders, add [Celestine V](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Celestine_V). There were rumors that his successor, Boniface VIII, did him in. He had an interesting rule of 5 months, and was a hermit who was basically press-ganged into papacy.
---
### Author:  [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2006, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-any-pope-been-assassinated/382036/6 "2006-11-28T06:20:18Z")
That Tenth Century was rough on the Pontiffs.
---
### Author:  [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2006, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-any-pope-been-assassinated/382036/7 "2006-11-28T08:26:59Z")
And, of course, there is the [persistent rumour](http://http://www.tldm.org/news3/johnpaulI.htm) that Pope John Paul I was murdered.
---
### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2006, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-any-pope-been-assassinated/382036/8 "2006-11-28T08:59:40Z")
> [@](#):
>
> John XII (955-964): Suffered a stroke while with a mistress
> or murdered by an outraged husband
The Church must have been just a teeny bit embarrassed about that one.
---
### Author:  [@Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alive_At_Both_Ends)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2006, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-any-pope-been-assassinated/382036/9 "2006-11-28T12:04:36Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23]
The Church must have been just a teeny bit embarrassed about that one.
[/QUOTE]
And the fact that he castrated a cardinal, drank the Devil’s health, invoked the help of the old pagan Roman gods while gambling, and turned the papal palace into a brothel… They don’t make popes like that any more.
---
### Author:  [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2006, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-any-pope-been-assassinated/382036/10 "2006-11-28T12:18:19Z")
[QUOTE=Alive At Both Ends]
They don’t make popes like that any more.
[/QUOTE]
At least, not popes we know about. The Vatican is not noted for its communication skills.
---
### Author:  [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2006, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-any-pope-been-assassinated/382036/11 "2006-11-28T13:56:13Z")
[QUOTE=aldiboronti]
And, of course, there is the [persistent rumour](http://http://www.tldm.org/news3/johnpaulI.htm) that Pope John Paul I was murdered.
[/QUOTE]
[This link works better.](http://www.tldm.org/news3/johnpaulI.htm)😉
---
### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2006, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-any-pope-been-assassinated/382036/12 "2006-11-28T16:11:36Z")
[QUOTE=Guinastasia]
St. Peter was executed by the Romans-does that count?
[/QUOTE]
Most of the early popes were martyred. The first 34 popes, up until 352 AD, are all considered saints, most of them (perhaps all) on the basis of having been executed by the Romans.