Pope as Ottoman Emperor?

I had a REALLY weird dream last night.

I dreamt about some people trying to make the Pope, I'd guess 1400s-1500s, emperor of the Ottoman Empire. The Pope had epic robes.

Have I gone completely crazy, or is this anywhere, anywhere at all in the realm of possibility (I doubt it).

Bonus points if he's a Borgia.
 
Earlier on a half-Byzantine Ottoman prince usurps the throne from one of his pure half-brethren and makes himself Kaiser of Rum etc. Cue plenty of drama and civil warfare until you have something of a Christian Ottoman Empire, supported by Catholic powers and the Papacy, against rival Muslim successor state (perhaps based in Anatolia and/or further east).

A Christian Ottoman prince is raised to the College of Cardinals and eventually elected Pope. Unexpected changes and sudden deaths back home leave him as the heir to the throne.

See for example Sultan Yahya, Cardinal-King Henrique of Portugal.
 
Hmm... Ottomans conquer Rome, establish a puppet Papacy, and appoint a spare Ottoman prince as "Pope," who somehow schemes his way back up to the top? (Steps 1 and 2 don't seem totally impossible, but step 3 seems kind of out of character for the Ottomans...)
 
Earlier on a half-Byzantine Ottoman prince usurps the throne from one of his pure half-brethren and makes himself Kaiser of Rum etc. Cue plenty of drama and civil warfare until you have something of a Christian Ottoman Empire, supported by Catholic powers and the Papacy, against rival Muslim successor state (perhaps based in Anatolia and/or further east).

A Christian Ottoman prince is raised to the College of Cardinals and eventually elected Pope. Unexpected changes and sudden deaths back home leave him as the heir to the throne.

See for example Sultan Yahya, Cardinal-King Henrique of Portugal.

Wow, thanks for the links, those were great to read.:D
 
Wow, thanks for the links, those were great to read.:D

On Henry: This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2009)

So . . . I'd take it with some salt.

But even if we don't, Henry renounced his clerical offices (even if the Pope had a problem with him doing that) - so I can't really see how you'd get someone who was Pope not stepping down from one office or the other. Even if you had an Ottoman Catholic.
 
I linked to Henry for the sole reason of him being a Cardinal who inherited a throne. I believe he resigned his clerical offices in the hope of being able to marry. A Pope who inherits/seizes the Imperial diadem (perhaps as part of continued drama in Europe against the HRE?) could do so for political reasons and line up some nephew (who for whatever reason isn't a suitable puppet for now) to succeed in due time.
 
I linked to Henry for the sole reason of him being a Cardinal who inherited a throne. I believe he resigned his clerical offices in the hope of being able to marry. A Pope who inherits/seizes the Imperial diadem (perhaps as part of continued drama in Europe against the HRE?) could do so for political reasons and line up some nephew (who for whatever reason isn't a suitable puppet for now) to succeed in due time.

And why would he rather have a nephew succeed than his own issue?
 
And why would he rather have a nephew succeed than his own issue?

Unless he has some bastards already in line, a Pope taking a wife would quickly find himself facing an unnecessary shitstorm in Italy and elsewhere. Henrique only had need of a wife because he was the very last of his line and failure to father an heir would result in a Spanish succession.
 
can you be the pope and and king (emperor) at the same time?
thats a real question I have no idea.

The Pope was the temporal ruler of domains in the middle of Italy and Avignon, as well as liege-lord of various other places (Naples, Sicily, at times England, not sure where else).
 
The Pope was the temporal ruler of domains in the middle of Italy and Avignon, as well as liege-lord of various other places (Naples, Sicily, at times England, not sure where else).
hmm... well i knew about all those 'cept england.
but those were the papal states were they not?
I mean could the pope ascend to the throne of a kingdom not under absolute control by the catholic church.
 
Unless he has some bastards already in line, a Pope taking a wife would quickly find himself facing an unnecessary shitstorm in Italy and elsewhere. Henrique only had need of a wife because he was the very last of his line and failure to father an heir would result in a Spanish succession.


That's why you stop being pope, take a wife, and tell Italy to suck it.

Being Pope and Emperor at the same time isn't exactly going to be something people rejoice to hear.
 
On Henry: This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2009)

So . . . I'd take it with some salt.

But even if we don't, Henry renounced his clerical offices (even if the Pope had a problem with him doing that) - so I can't really see how you'd get someone who was Pope not stepping down from one office or the other. Even if you had an Ottoman Catholic.

Haven't read the one on Henry yet, but none the less it's a very good point in regarding the thread.
 
That's why you stop being pope, take a wife, and tell Italy to suck it.

Being Pope and Emperor at the same time isn't exactly going to be something people rejoice to hear.

No, but it's not ideologically impossible, as opposed to a married Pope (or former Pope). Who would grant him the necessary dispensation anyway - himself?

In a scenario where the Pope's family is not lacking in heirs, there is no need for him to tell a wife and "tell Italy to suck it". He takes the Imperial throne, perhaps as part of a general ongoing drama feuding with the HRE and/or positioning himself at the head of a united Christendom facing the infidel threat. If he has an heir, he sets him up to inherit a stronger and richer empire (ie the attempts to set Cesare up as a mighty prince), if he doesn't, he makes whatever remains of the Byzantine Empire part of the Petrine patrimony. After all, there's plenty of precedent for the same man serving as Pontifex Maximus and Caesar Augustus.
 
No, but it's not ideologically impossible, as opposed to a married Pope (or former Pope). Who would grant him the necessary dispensation anyway - himself?

I'm sure that the Pope could find a way to get a dispensation for his vows if it came up.

In a scenario where the Pope's family is not lacking in heirs, there is no need for him to tell a wife and "tell Italy to suck it". He takes the Imperial throne, perhaps as part of a general ongoing drama feuding with the HRE and/or positioning himself at the head of a united Christendom facing the infidel threat. If he has an heir, he sets him up to inherit a stronger and richer empire (ie the attempts to set Cesare up as a mighty prince), if he doesn't, he makes whatever remains of the Byzantine Empire part of the Petrine patrimony. After all, there's plenty of precedent for the same man serving as Pontifex Maximus and Caesar Augustus.

Not since Christendom, I think.
 
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