Absolute Monarchs: A History of the Papacy by John Julius Norwich

Absolute Monarchs: A History of the Papacy by John Julius Norwich, History, 512 pages.

This was a fascinating and fun look at one of the oldest institutions in human history. There are brief, obscured glimpses at the popes of the first Millenia, with more detail provided for Sylvester I and his possible relation to Constantine, Gregory the Great, and Leo III, who crowned Charlemange. Late in the first Millenia, in the 900s, we encounter what the author refers to as the Pornocracy, a period of time that involved some very free-wheeling popes. During the second millenia, lots of popes follow, and unless they have a cool nickname, Pius IX was known as Pio Nino, or are referred to in one of the bad popes sections, Julius II is found in the chapter titled "The Monsters," they all run together. Good, kindly popes, ineffective popes, anti-popes, and lots of anti-semitic popes. They're mostly here, at least in brief. It is a fun read for anyone interested in the Catholic Church or Western history.

Check our Catalog.