Pope Innocent VIII (Giovanni Battista Cibo)

Giovanni Battista Cibo, born in Genoa in 1432, was Pope Innocent VIII from 1484 to 1492. Before his ordination he had fathered children whom he openly favoured as pope. With the bull Summis desiderantes of 5 December 1484 he, according to the Britannica, instigated very severe measures against alleged magicians and witches in Germany. In 1487 he appointed Torquemada grand inquisitor of Spain. To fill his empty treasury he created new offices and granted them to the highest bidders; for 40,000 ducats a year he kept the sultan's brother prisoner in the Vatican. According to the Britannica his Curia was notoriously corrupt.

Life dates

1432-1492 (about 60 years old)

Country

Germany, Italy, Vatican City

Institutions

Papal States
Roman Curia

Category

Financial misconduct, Persecution

Level of evidence

B two independent scholarly sources · what does this mean?

Background

Course of events

1. Cibo was born in Genoa in 1432, became a cardinal in 1473 and was pope from 29 August 1484 until his death on 25 July 1492. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia he largely owed his election to Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere, later Julius II.
   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Absatz 1

   „pope from the 29th of August 1484 to the 25th of July 1492, successor of Sixtus IV., was born at Genoa (1432)“

   Evidence: Nicholas Aloysius Weber, The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 8 (1910), Wikisource-Ausgabe 1913, Absatz 1

   „His success in the conclave, as well as his promotion to the cardinalate, was largely due to Giuliano della Rovere.“

Why? Justification and motives (according to the sources)

1. The sources differ on his children. The Catholic Encyclopedia speaks of a licentious youth with two illegitimate children, Franceschetto and Teodorina, before he took orders. The Britannica writes that it is not certain whether he was married to the mother of his numerous family; as pope he openly practised nepotism in favour of his children and gave his undeserving son Franceschetto several towns near Rome.
   Evidence: Nicholas Aloysius Weber, The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 8 (1910), Wikisource-Ausgabe 1913, Absatz 1

   „After a licentious youth, during which he had two illegitimate children, Franceschetto and Teodorina, he took orders“

   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Absatz 1

   „it is not certain that he was married to the mother of his numerous family“

   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Absatz 2

   „he himself openly practised nepotism in favour of his children“

   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Absatz 2

   „Thus he gave to his undeserving son Franceschetto several towns near Rome and married him to the daughter of Lorenzo de’ Medici.“

Who received the assets, who profited?

1. With a constantly depleted treasury he, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia, created new offices and granted them to the highest bidders. In 1489 he concluded a treaty with Sultan Bayezid II: in return for an annual payment of 40,000 ducats and the Holy Lance he kept the sultan's fugitive brother Jem in close confinement in the Vatican. He excommunicated and deposed the King of Naples in 1489 for refusing to pay the papal dues. According to the Britannica his Curia was notoriously corrupt; according to the Catholic Encyclopedia insecurity reigned in Rome because crime was insufficiently punished.
   Evidence: Nicholas Aloysius Weber, The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 8 (1910), Wikisource-Ausgabe 1913, Absatz 2

   „Constantly confronted with a depleted treasury, he resorted to the objectionable expedient of creating new offices and granting them to the highest bidders.“

   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Absatz 1

   „concluded in 1489 a treaty with Bayezid II., agreeing in consideration of an annual payment of 40,000 ducats and the gift of the Holy Lance, to detain the sultan’s fugitive brother Jem in close confinement in the Vatican“

   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Absatz 1

   „Innocent excommunicated and deposed Ferdinand, king of Naples, by bull of the 11th of September 1489, for refusal to pay the papal dues“

   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Absatz 2

   „His Curia was notoriously corrupt“

   Evidence: Nicholas Aloysius Weber, The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 8 (1910), Wikisource-Ausgabe 1913, Absatz 2

   „Insecurity reigned at Rome during his rule owing to insufficient punishment of crime.“

See also

• 1184-1699 · 515 years

  Persecution of the Waldensians

  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Heresy trials
  • Crusade
  • Persecution
• Person 1414-1484 · about 70 years old

  Pope Sixtus IV (Francesco della Rovere)

  • Italy
  • Vatican City
  • Financial misconduct
  • Murder
• Person 1420-1498 · about 78 years old

  Tomás de Torquemada, Grand Inquisitor of Spain

  • Spain
  • Anti-Judaism
  • Murder
  • Persecution
• 1430-1793 · 363 years

  Witch hunts in Europe

  • Germany
  • France
  • Poland
  • Switzerland
  • Spain
  • United Kingdom
  • Torture
  • Murder
  • Persecution
• Person 1 Jan 1431-18 Aug 1503 · 72 years old

  Pope Alexander VI (Rodrigo Borgia)

  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Vatican City
  • Expropriation
  • Financial misconduct
• Person 1475-1521 · about 46 years old

  Pope Leo X (Giovanni de' Medici)

  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Vatican City
  • Financial misconduct

Scholarly literature and reference works

1. Reference work
   Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911): Innocent VIII, 1 January 1911. Original · Archive copy (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
2. Reference work
   Nicholas Aloysius Weber, The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 8 (1910), Wikisource-Ausgabe 1913: Pope Innocent VIII, 1 January 1913. Original · Archive copy (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)

Last changed on 31 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.