# Pope Joan: The Medieval Legend of a Female Pope

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-story-of-italy-rome-renaissance-and-the-birth-of-modern-europe-fexingo-history-7829683/pope-joan-the-medieval-legend-of-a-female-pope
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-story-of-italy-rome-renaissance-and-the-birth-of-modern-europe-fexingo-history-7829683/pope-joan-the-medieval-legend-of-a-female-pope.md
Podcast: [The Story of Italy: Rome, Renaissance, and the Birth of Modern Europe — Fexingo History](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-story-of-italy-rome-renaissance-and-the-birth-of-modern-europe-fexingo-history-7829683)
Published: 2026-06-24T13:32:08+00:00
Episode link: https://audio.fexingo.com/history/the-story-of-italy/episode-0118.mp3
Audio file: https://audio.fexingo.com/history/the-story-of-italy/episode-0118.mp3
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Duration seconds: 605

## Resource

In this episode, Lucas and Luna delve into one of history's most persistent and controversial legends: Pope Joan, the supposed female pope who reigned in the 9th century. They explore the earliest written accounts, from the 13th-century chronicler Jean de Mailly to the influential Martin of Opava, and trace how the story spread through medieval Europe. The conversation examines the historical context of the 9th century—the papacy of Leo IV, the rise of the Holy Roman Empire under the Carolingians, and the power struggles between Roman aristocratic families like the Theophylacts. Lucas and Luna discuss the topographical details in the legend, such as the papal procession route between St. Peter's and the Lateran, and the infamous 'Chair of the Pornocracy.' They consider why the myth was so durable, what it reveals about medieval attitudes toward women and power, and the scholarly consensus that Pope Joan never existed. Finally, they touch on the legend's cultural afterlives, from Renaissance satire to modern novels like Donna Woolfolk Cross's 'Pope Joan.' #PopeJoan #FemalePope #MedievalLegend #PapalHistory #9thCentury #LeoIV #JeanDeMailly #MartinOfOpava #Carolingian #Theophylact #Pornocracy #Lateran #StPetersBasilica #Myth #WesternSchism #WomenInHistory #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

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