Joan, a Female Pope at the Vatican: Feminism and Misogyny in the Middle Ages (13th–16th Century)

Georges Minois

Éditions Perrin, 416 pages, 2026

Why you should look at it:

√ Unmasks the institutional misogyny embedded in medieval theology and Vatican history
√ Exposes the brutal clerical crackdown on Europe's early feminist undercurrents
√ Offers a meticulously researched masterclass in separating medieval myth from reality

For centuries, Christians and chroniclers alike firmly believed in the scandalous story of Pope Joan, a highly educated woman who allegedly disguised herself as a man, climbed the ranks of the Curia, and was elected Supreme Pontiff in the 9th century. According to the legend, her deception was only uncovered when she unexpectedly gave birth in the middle of a public papal procession through the streets of Rome.

In this groundbreaking historical analysis, renowned medievalist Georges Minois uses the fascinating, long-debated myth of Pope Joan as a lens to examine the complex, tumultuous reality of gender dynamics in medieval Europe, and provides an in-depth exploration of the anatomy of medieval misogyny.

He demonstrates how medieval civilization systematically branded women as physically, morally, and spiritually deficient, drawing heavily from the dual foundations of ancient pagan science and Judeo-Christian texts. Within this oppressive framework, the author uncovers an early embryo of feminism, revealing that the 13th-century emergence of the Pope Joan legend reflected a growing, hidden undercurrent of women aspiring toward spiritual and social equality.

This subversive push for equality ultimately triggered a severe backlash and a wave of witch hunts. The narrative traces the ruthless institutional clampdown by an all-male clergy determined to defend its absolute monopoly over the sacred, an effort that ultimately culminated in the horrors of the European witch trials.

Finally, the book masterfully separates fact from fiction by explaining how this resilient myth grew so powerful over the centuries that it even sparked a secondary, widespread legend regarding a bizarre Vatican physical ritual used to verify the masculinity of newly elected popes.

Far from just a biography of a legendary figure, Joan, a Female Pope at the Vatican is a masterclass in cultural history. It exposes how the "stronger sex" asserted an iron grip over the sacred and the social order, and how a subversively transgressive myth became a weapon for both medieval feminists and their worst oppressors.

Georges Minois is a prominent French historian and author specializing in cultural and religious history, particularly focusing on the Middle Ages and the early modern period. He is highly regarded for his massive thematic syntheses exploring the evolution of collective human behaviors, emotions, and ideas in Western civilization over the centuries. He has published more than 40 historical books, which have been translated into over 20 languages.