Pope boniface viii: Did you mean...?

A portrait of Pope Julius II (r. 1503-1513 CE) by the Italian Renaissance artist Raphael, c. 1512 CE. (National Gallery London)

The tiara of Pope Pius IX (in office 1846-1878). Made in 1854. Made of a trio of gold crowns set with diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, pearls, and other jewels around a silver-thread fabric. It measures 35 cm (13.7 in) in height and diameter...

A 1645 illustration showing a cardinal checking that Pope Innocent X (in office 1644-55) is indeed a man.

The Fifth Crusade (1217-1221 CE) was called by Pope Innocent III (r. 1198-1216 CE) with the objective, like previous crusades, of recapturing Jerusalem from Muslim control; only this time the strategy was to weaken the enemy by first attacking...

The Carolingian Dynasty (751-887) was a family of Frankish nobles who ruled Francia and its successor kingdoms in Western and Central Europe during the Early Middle Ages. The dynasty expanded from Francia as far as modern Italy, Spain, and...

In 1204 CE the unthinkable happened and Constantinople, after nine centuries of withstanding all comers, was brutally sacked. Even more startling was the fact that the perpetrators were not any of the traditional enemies of the Byzantine...

Did you know that the Protestant Reformation started in England because the king wanted a divorce? This video is all about the establishment of the Protestant Church of England by Henry VIII in the 16th century, best known as the English...

A c. 1450 illustration showing Pope Joan giving birth during a procession. Pope Joan was a legendary female pope of the Middle Ages said to have reigned from 855 to 858. Her existence is disputed. (Spencer Collection)

Henry VII of England ruled as king from 1485 to 1509 CE. Henry, representing the Lancaster cause during the Wars of the Roses (1455-1487 CE), defeated and killed his predecessor the Yorkist king Richard III of England (r. 1483-1485 CE) at...

This medal depicts John VIII Palaeologus during his visit to Ferrara in 1438 CE, as drawn by Pisanello. Extravagant hats were popular among Byzantine Royalty.