Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction


Part One
The Girl from Viterbo


1 The Convent

2 The Wealthy Landowner’s Wife

3 The Roman Noblewoman

4 The Brother-in-Law

5 The Papal Nuncio

6 Cardinals

7 The Black Widow

8 Conclave


Part Two
The Female Pope


9 The Vicar of Christ

10 Celebrations

11 Women in the Vatican

12 Vengeance on the Barberinis

13 The Despised Daughter-in-Law

14 The Imbecile Cardinals

Photographic Insert

15 Birth, Famine, and Bitter Peace

16 The Shoulder of Saint Francesca

17 The Holy Jubilee Year

18 Crisis of Conscience


Part Three
Unforgiveness


19 Honor and Dishonor

20 Olimpia’s Triumphant Return

21 The Sudden Disgrace of Cardinal Astalli

22 Death of the Dove

23 Unforgiveness

24 Pope Alexander VII

25 The Two Queens of Rome

26 The Scourge of God

27 After Olimpia


Notes

Bibliography

Searchable Terms

About the Author

Other Books by Eleanor Herman

Copyright

About the Publisher