In the 1200s a legend surfaced of a female pope who ruled for two years, disguised as a man. And while it was just that - a legend - that did not stop Pope Joan from being considered real for hundreds of year. And desite being nothing more than myth, Pope Joan would have an abnormally large impact on the Catholic Church. Sources "The Myth of Pope Joan" by Alain Boureau Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Papesse_Jeanne_BnF_Français_599_fol._88.jpg History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices