The 11 most scandalous popes in history

For centuries, the Catholic Church has elected a pope to don an intricate hat and lead the religion's 1.27 billion adherents across the globe. 

But not all of the church's 260-odd popes have been models of piety. Actually, handful of popes are best remembered by their violent tempers, shocking sex scandals, and shady financial practices. 

Here's a chronological list of some of history's most outrageous papacies. 

Stephen VI dug up his predecessor's corpse and put it on trial.

Grotesque but true: Pope Stephen VI, elected in 896, decided to exhume the body of the previous pope, Formosus, and put it on trial. Formosus's body was dressed up in papal clothes and propped up on a throne while Stephen shouted out obviously unanswerable questions. 

Formosus was found guilty of perjury that day and his body was tossed into the Tiber River. Later, it was recovered and given a proper burial.

Stephen VI, on the other hand, was eventually imprisoned then strangled to death by supporters of Formosus.

Source: Royal Scandals; The Smart Set

John XII was accused of "homicide, perjury, sacrilege" and even incest.

John XII came to the throne in 955, when he was just 18. Shortly thereafter, he turned his residence into a brothel, gambled with church offerings, and was even accused of castrating a cardinal.

German ruler Otto of Saxony once wrote to the young pope, saying, “Everyone [...] accuses you, Holiness, of homicide, perjury, sacrilege, incest with your relatives, including two of your sisters, and with having, like a pagan, invoked Jupiter, Venus, and other demons.”

John XII actually met his demise because of a tryst: A jealous husband discovered his wife in bed with the pope, and the man proceeded to severely beat the him. John XII died three days later. 

Source: Royal Scandals

Benedict IX was a three-time pope described as "a demon from hell."

Benedict IX was "placed" into the papacy in 1032, when he was likely just 12 years old. Not much is known about his policies, but it's clear that he wasn't well liked. (Historian Ferdinand Gregorovius called him "a demon from hell.")

Soon, political opponents tried to murder him, so he fled St. Peter's Basilica and spent time in Rome, where he "stole, murdered and committed other, unspeakable deeds," according to one account.

But he came back for more: In 1045, Benedict IX deposed his replacement and became pope again. His second round of popedom lasted just two months, though. He was reportedly offered a large sum of money and, in essence, sold the papacy to his successor. 

Benedict IX actually became pope a third time, seizing the throne after Pope Clement II died in 1047. Eight months later he was driven out by King Henry III of England — and he never returned.

Source: INSIDER