Lentorama 2010: Two Millennia of Pointy Hats

Day 20: Sergius III (904-911)

If you were to compile a list of the ten worst popes, Sergius III would easily make the cut, if not compete for the top spot.

Sergius' election kicks of a period of the papacy often referred to a the "rule of the harlots" or the "pornocracy" (the church uses the less misogynistic Saeculum obscurum, "the dark age"). The popes in this period (which spans most of the 200 years after Sergius' election) were beholden to the counts of Tusculum and in many cases was a member of the family. The influence of the family women is where the harlot/porn references come in.

Most of the records from Sergius' term in office were destroyed by opponents of the faction he supported, so most of the information about Sergius comes from his enemies, which probably explains some of the more scandalous accusations (such as his fathering a future pope with a mistress and his ordering the killings of Pope Leo V and Antipope Christopher). He did invalidate most of what Formosus did, including the ordination of several bishops, requiring them to be reordained. Confusion may have reigned more than Sergius during his time in office.