WI: Pope Giacomo Casanova?

For those of unfamiliar with the life of that notorious womanizer and rake, it might be interesting to learn that for a time he was a secular priest, attached to the Cardinal Acquaviva. In spite of his later reputation, he was actually brought down for his role in helping two young lovers flee, not due to any of his numerous extramarital dalliances. If he had managed to stay in the Church, his wit and the patronage of Cardinal Acquaviva would almost certainly led to his advancement, and upon getting a "red hat" he would be legally eligible to be elected to the throne of St. Peter.

What kind of a Pope would the 18th century's most prominent libertine make? Would he be like another Pope Alexander II, or would assuming such high office bring out his better qualities?
 

archaeogeek

Banned
For those of unfamiliar with the life of that notorious womanizer and rake, it might be interesting to learn that for a time he was a secular priest, attached to the Cardinal Acquaviva. In spite of his later reputation, he was actually brought down for his role in helping two young lovers flee, not due to any of his numerous extramarital dalliances. If he had managed to stay in the Church, his wit and the patronage of Cardinal Acquaviva would almost certainly led to his advancement, and upon getting a "red hat" he would be legally eligible to be elected to the throne of St. Peter.

What kind of a Pope would the 18th century's most prominent libertine make? Would he be like another Pope Alexander II, or would assuming such high office bring out his better qualities?

He had pretty good qualities to begin with; I don't see how his being a libertine was so bad, it's not like he mistreated the women he slept with and unlike a Don Giovanni, he also didn't lead around and tended to leave them something more than an empty word and an escape by the backdoor. He was also interested in far more than just a roll in the hay.

He was also a pretty entertaining author and would probably have spent a lot of time on his translations of the classics.
 
He had pretty good qualities to begin with; I don't see how his being a libertine was so bad, it's not like he mistreated the women he slept with and unlike a Don Giovanni, he also didn't lead around and tended to leave them something more than an empty word and an escape by the backdoor. He was also interested in far more than just a roll in the hay.

He was also a pretty entertaining author and would probably have spent a lot of time on his translations of the classics.

I couldn't agree more. Even in translation, his memoirs show that he was an excellent writer, with considerable intellectual gifts. As seducers of women go, I will agree that there have been far worse, as he rarely left his conquests worse off than he found them, and often went to considerable trouble for women, even when they could not offer him anything.

As to his other qualities, he displayed considerable fortitude during his escape from the Leeds (being the first to successfully do so) and during his many duels (especially against the Count Brinicki). Such courage would have served any Pope of the 18th century well, especially the craven Clement XIII and Pius VI.
 

archaeogeek

Banned
As to his other qualities, he displayed considerable fortitude during his escape from the Leeds (being the first to successfully do so) and during his many duels (especially against the Count Brinicki). Such courage would have served any Pope of the 18th century well, especially the craven Clement XIII and Pius VI.

That i agree; he might have been sort of a cross between a (mild) party pope and a scholarly pope. Probably a very interesting but polarizing enlightenment figure, although he might, ironically, also oppose the dismantlement of the Society of Jesus once Pope.
 
Interesting. It seems he would be a a good Pope and rather popular as well. Any ideas on what name he would take?
 
Interesting. It seems he would be a a good Pope and rather popular as well. Any ideas on what name he would take?

Typically, the new pontiff's name choice is a symbol to the world of what sort of Pope he will want to be and who he will emulate during his reign.


Perhaps he would name himself after a Pope known for his patronage of the arts and sciences?
 
Eh, the thing is, people like Alexander II could be Pope and still get up to all their...extracurriculars before the Reformation, when the church hierarchy was extremely corrupt and the church didn't have any real competition to call them out anyways. In the 18th century, with Protestants willing to take any opportunity to get in a dig at the Catholic church, Casanova's womanizing-even if he did treat his lovers well-might still lead to some problems, methinks.
 
Eh, the thing is, people like Alexander II could be Pope and still get up to all their...extracurriculars before the Reformation, when the church hierarchy was extremely corrupt and the church didn't have any real competition to call them out anyways. In the 18th century, with Protestants willing to take any opportunity to get in a dig at the Catholic church, Casanova's womanizing-even if he did treat his lovers well-might still lead to some problems, methinks.

The Pope we are all thinking of is actually Alexander VI (so to confuse Popes, there are so many...)

While hosting orgies at the Papal palace was decidedly out of style by the 1750's, several Popes of the 18th century did father illegitimate children, as well as advance their own family members in the Church as "Cardinal Nephews." I'm not saying that womanizing would not hurt his career in the 18th century Church, but it might not derail it if he kept things quiet, which Casanova was generally good at.
 

archaeogeek

Banned
Typically, the new pontiff's name choice is a symbol to the world of what sort of Pope he will want to be and who he will emulate during his reign.


Perhaps he would name himself after a Pope known for his patronage of the arts and sciences?

Alexander IX? ;)
 
Pope Augustine I.
This would have the flattery pretense of being a great intellectual.
And also St Augustine in his time had been a great tombeur de femmes
 
Top