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Pope Pius II

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Religious Figure

The Resume

    (October 18, 1405-August 14, 1464)
    Born in Corsignano, Italy
    Birth name was Aeneas Silvius Bartholomeus Piccolomini
    210th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church (1458-64)

Why he might be annoying:

    A biographical sketch noted, 'Before he became a priest at the age of 41, [he] led what might be kindly termed a colorful life.'
    He fathered at least two children out of wedlock.
    He wrote the erotic novel 'The Tale of Two Lovers' and several erotic poems -- not your typical pre-papal career.
    He is remembered less for anything he achieved during his papacy than for the novelty of being the pope who wrote a dirty book.

Why he might not be annoying:

    'The Tale of Two Lovers' was a 15th-century best seller even before he became pope.
    When chided about his past, he would reply, 'Ignore Aeneas, but listen to Pius.'
    In an early example of urban planning, he had his hometown rebuilt as an ideal Renaissance commune (and renamed Pienza); the resulting town was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1996).
    When his call for a Crusade against the Turks in the Balkans was largely ignored, he tried to shame the European monarchs into sending serious help by announcing he would lead the Crusade in person. (Although it all came to naught when he died of a fever a few weeks later.)

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 91 Votes: 49.45% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 25 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 10 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 101 Votes: 51.49% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 93 Votes: 48.39% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 5 Votes: 80.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 9 Votes: 44.44% Annoying