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403. The Mystery of the Pregnant Pope

Summary, books mentioned, transcript quotes, and timestamps for 403. The Mystery of the Pregnant Pope on The Rest Is History.

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403. The Mystery of the Pregnant Pope mentions Pope Joan by Alain Bourreau, The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco, and Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon with timestamps, quotes, and episode context.

3 books from this episode
Pope Joan
Alain Bourreau

There was one Pope, or to be more accurate, a Popess.

It's like something out of the, you know, the name of the rose, Umberto Eco novel.

Of course he did. I mean, there was nothing he enjoyed more than Popes behaving badly.

Episode summary
A Pope of great renown once reigned during chaotic years for the medieval Church: she was an extraordinary figure, from a time when women were forbidden from even becoming priests - indeed she is History’s only female Pope. But did this “Popess" really exist, and if so, who was this mysterious, awesome woman? What does her story reveal about the murky politics of the medieval Vatican? The original account described an English woman named Joan, who through her brilliance rose to become none other than Pope John VIII. Then, in a shocking turn of events, she fell pregnant and gave birth to a son during a procession, before meeting a sinister end… Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss this most remarkable of legends and discover the truth behind the story of the pregnant Pope - a tale of teenage Popes, female persecution, blinding, castration, and Europe’s greatest revolution. Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Producer: Theo Young-Smith Assistant Producer: Tabby Syrett
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Pope Joan
Alain Bourreau

The host discusses the intriguing story of Pope Joan, a woman who disguised herself as a man to ascend to the papacy.…

Card
The Name of the Rose
Umberto Eco

The host references 'The Name of the Rose' to illustrate the historical context of women's roles in the church, parti…

Card
Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
Edward Gibbon

The host mentions Edward Gibbon's work to highlight the scandalous behavior of popes during the ninth century. Gibbon…

Card
Book mentions3
Media mentions0
Quick answers

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Answers to common summary, books, and takeaway questions for this episode.

What is 403. The Mystery of the Pregnant Pope about?

Summary, books mentioned, transcript quotes, and timestamps for 403. The Mystery of the Pregnant Pope on The Rest Is History.

What are the main takeaways from 403. The Mystery of the Pregnant Pope?

These are the strongest takeaways surfaced by the transcript, summary copy, and linked mentions for 403. The Mystery of the Pregnant Pope.

  • The conversation centers on female Pope history.
  • A second recurring theme is Papal behavior in history.
  • Referenced books include Pope Joan by Alain Bourreau and The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco.
  • The strongest audience signal points to Historians and those interested in gender studies and Listeners interested in theology and gender studies.

Which books are mentioned in 403. The Mystery of the Pregnant Pope?

Pope Joan by Alain Bourreau, The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco, and Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon are the clearest linked books in this episode, each tied back to transcript timestamps and quote cards.

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403. The Mystery of the Pregnant Pope keeps attracting summary-style searches because this page combines episode context, transcript quotes, book references, and direct jump links back into the audio.

Topic and sentiment signals

Aggregated from transcript-derived mention metadata for better topical navigation and citation.

Mention sentiment
Deep Dive(2)Passing Reference(1)
Audience signals
Historians and those interested in gender studiesListeners interested in theology and gender studiesHistorians and readers interested in church history

Books Mentioned

The full list below is ranked by how useful each mention is to a listener: stronger recommendation language, clearer quote context, and better timestamp support rise first.

Pope Joan cover
Pope Joan
Alain Bourreau
Best for Historians and those interested in gender studiesOften cited around female Pope history

The guy who argues this is a brilliant French historian, Alain Bourreau, whose book on Pope Joan is really wonderful. It's by miles the best book out there on the subject.

View mention details
Sentiment: Deep Dive
For: Historians and those interested in gender studies
Key quote: There was one Pope, or to be more accurate, a Popess.
The host discusses the intriguing story of Pope Joan, a woman who disguised herself as a man to ascend to the papacy. This narrative highlights the complexities of gender and power within the historical context of the Catholic Church.
Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link
Check price
The Name of the Rose cover
Best for Listeners interested in theology and gender studiesOften cited around theology and women

The excerpt references 'The Name of the Rose' as a novel that relates to the period when stories of St. Joan are starting to clarify.

View mention details
Sentiment: Deep Dive
For: Listeners interested in theology and gender studies
Key quote: It's like something out of the, you know, the name of the rose, Umberto Eco novel.
The host references 'The Name of the Rose' to illustrate the historical context of women's roles in the church, particularly through the story of Guglielma. This connection highlights the paradox of women's representation in religious narratives and the implications for female clergy.
Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link
Check price
Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire cover
Best for Historians and readers interested in church historyOften cited around Papal behavior in history

Edward Gibbon, the great author of Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, who loved all this stuff, says of the ninth century that the bastard son, two grandsons, two great grandsons, and one great, great grandson of Marozia, a rare genealogy, was seated in the chair of St. Peter.

View mention details
Sentiment: Passing Reference
For: Historians and readers interested in church history
Key quote: Of course he did. I mean, there was nothing he enjoyed more than Popes behaving badly.
The host mentions Edward Gibbon's work to highlight the scandalous behavior of popes during the ninth century. Gibbon's commentary serves as a backdrop to discuss the moral decline of the papacy and its historical implications.
Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link
Check price
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Pope Joan
The Rest Is History · 20:48
There was one Pope, or to be more accurate, a Popess.
The Name of the Rose
The Rest Is History · 36:40
It's like something out of the, you know, the name of the rose, Umberto Eco novel.
Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
The Rest Is History · 15:40
Of course he did. I mean, there was nothing he enjoyed more than Popes behaving badly.
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Pick up the books after you hear them in context.

Pope Joan cover
Mentioned at 20:48
Pope Joan
Alain Bourreau

The host discusses the intriguing story of Pope Joan, a woman who disguised herself as a man to ascend to the papacy. This narrative highlights the…

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link
The Name of the Rose cover
Mentioned at 36:40
The Name of the Rose
Umberto Eco

The host references 'The Name of the Rose' to illustrate the historical context of women's roles in the church, particularly through the story of G…

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link
Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire cover
Mentioned at 15:40
Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
Edward Gibbon

The host mentions Edward Gibbon's work to highlight the scandalous behavior of popes during the ninth century. Gibbon's commentary serves as a back…

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link

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