I \ A DARK HISTORY: T H E PoPES ( ·. ;.::. ( . I ..~ ..... ---~ I\ --:...:=---._ .• A DARK HISTORY: H E OPES VICE, MURDER, AND CORRUPTION IN THE VATICAN BRENDA RALPH LEWIS METRO BOOKS New York METRO BOOKS New York An Imprint of Sterling Publishing 387 Park Avenue South New York, NY 10016 METRO BOOKS and the distinctive Metro Books logo are trademarks of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. © 2009 by Amber Books Ltd. This 2011 edition published by Metro Books by arrangement with Amber Books Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher. Editorial and design by Amber Books Ltd Bradley's Close 7 4-77 White Lion Street London N1 9PF www. amberbooks. co. uk Project Editor: James Bennett Design: Zoe Mellors Picture Research: Terry Forshaw ISBN: 978-1-4351-3276-4 For information about custom editions, special sales, and premium and corporate purchases, please contact Sterling Special Sales at 800-805-5489 or [email protected]. Manufactured in China 2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 www. sterlingpublishing. com CONTENTS 6 INTRODUCTION + CHAPTER I THE CADAVER SYNOD, THE RULE OF THE HARLOTS, AND OTHER VATICAN SCANDALS 8 + CHAPTER2 GENOCIDE: THE CATHARS, PART I 36 + CHAPTER3 GENOCIDE: THE CATHARS, PART II 64 + CHAPTER4 POPES AND WITCHES 94 + CHAPTERS 124 THE BORGIAS + CHAPTER 6 156 THE GALILEO AFFAIR + CHAPTER 7 180 THE PRISONER OF THE VATICAN, PART I + CHAPTERS THE PRISONER OF THE VATICAN, PART II 206 + CHAPTER9 224 THE POPE AND THE NAZIS + 252 INDEX AND PICTURE CREDITS