3 ms·
Cardinals were very often not actually celibate, just like less promoted priests.
by barry-cotter 4y ago
Cardinals were very often not actually celibate, just like less promoted priests.
- carlob 4y agoYeah, those nephew were often illegitimate sons, but that just goes to prove that forced celibacy has never worked.
- barry-cotter 4y agoDepends what you mean by “worked”. It prevented the emergence of priest kings quite well. Not allowing legitimate sons puts a major crimp in anyone’s plans to turn a religious organization’s land into their personal property. See how the Teutonic order turned into Brandenburg upon Protestantisation.
- treis 4y agoThe Pope was a priest king for centuries not to mention the smattering of Bishop/Cardinal led mini statesi n the HRE.