403. The Mystery of the Pregnant Pope

Published: Dec. 28, 2023, 12:10 a.m.

b'A Pope of great renown once reigned during chaotic years for the medieval Church: she was an extraordinary figure, from a time when women were forbidden from even becoming priests - indeed she is History\\u2019s only female Pope. But did this \\u201cPopess" really exist, and if so, who was this mysterious, awesome woman? What does her story reveal about the murky politics of the medieval Vatican? The original account described an English woman named Joan, who through her brilliance rose to become none other than Pope John VIII. Then, in a shocking turn of events, she fell pregnant and gave birth to a son during a procession, before meeting a sinister end\\u2026\\xa0\\n\\nJoin Tom and Dominic as they discuss this most remarkable of legends and discover the truth behind the story of the pregnant Pope - a tale of teenage Popes, female persecution, blinding, castration, and Europe\\u2019s greatest revolution.\\n\\n\\nTwitter:\\xa0\\n\\n@TheRestHistory\\n\\n@holland_tom\\n\\n@dcsandbrook\\n\\nProducer: Theo Young-Smith\\n\\nAssistant Producer: Tabby Syrett\\n\\nExecutive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor\\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices'