Polity · 708 CE – 1878 CE
Papal States
Patrimonium Sancti Petri · Dicio Pontificia
- Peak recorded area
- 41,742 km²
- 1791 CE
- Rulers on record
- 172
- from 701 CE
- Data series
- 31
- 1090 CE–1870 CE
Overview
The Papal States, officially the State of the Church, were a conglomeration of territories on the Italian peninsula under the direct sovereign rule of the pope from 756 to 1870. They were among the major states of Italy from the 8th century until the unification of Italy, which took place between 1859 and 1870, culminating in their demise.
Lead section from Wikipedia, reused under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article.
Territory
53 dated territorial extents on record from Cliopatria. Areas are measured off the recorded polygons; the line steps because each extent holds until the next one is recorded — nothing is interpolated. CShapes 2.0 holds 3 further extents, measured on a different basis and deliberately not merged into this series.
The record
The best-attested series in each category; where several projects publish the same quantity, the one with the most observations is shown. Each row is the most recent value the record holds at or before 1878 CE, shown with the year that value belongs to. Some statistical series also publish forward projections — the year column is the honest guide. Nothing on this page is interpolated or estimated by us.
People
6 of 7 series| Series | Value · year · source |
|---|---|
| Social Conflict Events201 obs · 1090 CE–1801 CE | 1events1801 CE · HiSCoD (Historical Social Conflict Database) |
| Population45 obs · 1816 CE–1860 CE | 3.2Mpersons1860 CE · Correlates of War NMC v6.0 |
| Urban Population45 obs · 1816 CE–1860 CE | 184Kpersons1860 CE · Correlates of War NMC v6.0 |
| Largest Settlement Pop11 obs · 1198 CE–1800 CE | 153Kpersons1800 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
| Polity Population7 obs · 1200 CE–1800 CE | 6.36score1800 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
| Conflict Participants5 obs · 1664 CE–1789 CE | 1,030persons1789 CE · HiSCoD (Historical Social Conflict Database) |
Economy
| Series | Value · year · source |
|---|---|
| Agricultural Sophistication7 obs · 1200 CE–1800 CE | 1.57score1800 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
| Monetary Complexity7 obs · 1200 CE–1800 CE | 0.9score1800 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
Military
| Series | Value · year · source |
|---|---|
| CINC Score45 obs · 1816 CE–1860 CE | 0.0046CINC (share of world capability)1860 CE · Correlates of War NMC v6.0 |
| Iron Steel Production45 obs · 1816 CE–1860 CE | 0tons1860 CE · Correlates of War NMC v6.0 |
| Military Personnel45 obs · 1816 CE–1860 CE | 19Kpersons1860 CE · Correlates of War NMC v6.0 |
| Military Expenditure GBP8 obs · 1853 CE–1860 CE | 781Kcurrent GBP1860 CE · Correlates of War NMC v6.0 |
| Military Sophistication7 obs · 1200 CE–1800 CE | 1score1800 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
| Military Levels4 obs · 1198 CE–1648 CE | 5levels1648 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
Territory & resources
| Series | Value · year · source |
|---|---|
| Polity Territory7 obs · 1200 CE–1800 CE | 4.64score1800 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
| Territory km²4 obs · 1198 CE–1648 CE | 44Ksq km1648 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
Governance
| Series | Value · year · source |
|---|---|
| Rule Of Law Index78 obs · 1789 CE–1870 CE | 0.26index (0-1)1870 CE · V-Dem v15 |
| Electoral Democracy Index77 obs · 1790 CE–1870 CE | 0.026index (0-1)1870 CE · V-Dem v15 |
| Liberal Democracy Index77 obs · 1790 CE–1870 CE | 0.026index (0-1)1870 CE · V-Dem v15 |
| Participatory Democracy Index77 obs · 1790 CE–1870 CE | 0.011index (0-1)1870 CE · V-Dem v15 |
| Admin Levels4 obs · 1198 CE–1648 CE | 6levels1648 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
| Religious Hierarchy4 obs · 1198 CE–1648 CE | 6levels1648 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
Development
6 of 8 series| Series | Value · year · source |
|---|---|
| Freedom Of Expression Index78 obs · 1789 CE–1870 CE | 0.132index (0-1)1870 CE · V-Dem v15 |
| Government Complexity7 obs · 1200 CE–1800 CE | 0.8273score1800 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
| Hierarchy Levels7 obs · 1200 CE–1800 CE | 5score1800 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
| Information Complexity7 obs · 1200 CE–1800 CE | 0.9923score1800 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
| Infrastructure7 obs · 1200 CE–1800 CE | 0.8333score1800 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
| Largest Settlement Pop7 obs · 1200 CE–1800 CE | 5.19score1800 CE · Seshat Equinox 2020 |
Rulers
172 on record with dated reigns. Reign years follow the house convention: BCE years are negative.
- John VIPope701 CE – 705 CE
- John VIIPope705 CE – 707 CE
- ConstantinePope708 CE – 715 CE
- SisinniusPope708 CE
- Gregory IIPope715 CE – 731 CE
- Gregory IIIPope731 CE – 741 CE
- ZacharyPope741 CE – 752 CE
- Pope-elect StephenPope752 CE
- Stephen IIPope752 CE – 757 CE
- Paul IPope757 CE – 767 CE
- Stephen IIIPope768 CE – 772 CE
- Adrian IPope772 CE – 795 CE
- Leo IIIPope796 CE – 816 CE
- Stephen IVPope816 CE – 817 CE
- Paschal IPope817 CE – 824 CE
- Eugene IIPope824 CE – 827 CE
- Gregory IVPope827 CE – 844 CE
- ValentinePope827 CE
- Sergius IIPope844 CE – 847 CE
- Leo IVPope847 CE – 855 CE
- Benedict IIIPope855 CE – 858 CE
- Pope JoanPope855 CE – 858 CE
- Nicholas IPope858 CE – 867 CE
- Adrian IIPope867 CE – 872 CE
- John VIIIPope872 CE – 882 CE
- Marinus IPope882 CE – 884 CE
- Adrian IIIPope884 CE – 885 CE
- Stephen VPope885 CE – 891 CE
- FormosusPope891 CE – 896 CE
- Boniface VIPope896 CE
- Stephen VIPope896 CE – 897 CE
- RomanusPope897 CE
- Theodore IIPope897 CE
- John IXPope898 CE – 900 CE
- Benedict IVPope900 CE – 903 CE
- Leo VPope903 CE – 904 CE
- Sergius IIIPope904 CE – 911 CE
- Anastasius IIIPope911 CE – 913 CE
- LandoPope913 CE – 914 CE
- John XPope914 CE – 928 CE
- Leo VIPope928 CE
- Stephen VIIPope929 CE – 931 CE
- John XIPope931 CE – 935 CE
- Leo VIIPope936 CE – 939 CE
- Stephen VIIIPope939 CE – 942 CE
- Marinus IIPope942 CE – 946 CE
- Agapetus IIPope946 CE – 955 CE
- John XIIPope955 CE – 964 CE
- Benedict VPope964 CE
- Leo VIIIPope964 CE – 965 CE
- John XIIIPope965 CE – 972 CE
- Benedict VIPope973 CE – 974 CE
- Benedict VIIPope974 CE – 983 CE
- John XIVPope983 CE – 984 CE
- John XVPope985 CE – 996 CE
- Gregory VPope996 CE – 999 CE
- Sylvester IIPope999 CE – 1003 CE
- John XVIIPope1003 CE
- John XVIIIPope1003 CE – 1009 CE
- Sergius IVPope1009 CE – 1012 CE
- Benedict VIIIPope1012 CE – 1024 CE
- John XIXPope1024 CE – 1032 CE
- Benedict IXPope1032 CE – 1044 CE
- Gregory VIPope1045 CE – 1047 CE
- Sylvester IIIPope1045 CE
- Clement IIPope1047 CE
- Damasus IIPope1048 CE
- Leo IXPope1049 CE – 1054 CE
- Victor IIPope1055 CE – 1057 CE
- Stephen IXPope1057 CE – 1058 CE
- Nicholas IIPope1059 CE – 1061 CE
- Alexander IIPope1061 CE – 1073 CE
- Gregory VIIPope1073 CE – 1085 CE
- Victor IIIPope1086 CE – 1087 CE
- Urban IIPope1088 CE – 1099 CE
- Paschal IIPope1099 CE – 1118 CE
- Gelasius IIPope1118 CE – 1119 CE
- Callixtus IIPope1119 CE – 1124 CE
- Honorius IIPope1125 CE – 1130 CE
- Innocent IIPope1130 CE – 1143 CE
- Celestine IIPope1143 CE – 1144 CE
- Lucius IIPope1144 CE – 1145 CE
- Eugene IIIPope1145 CE – 1153 CE
- Anastasius IVPope1153 CE – 1154 CE
- Adrian IVPope1154 CE – 1159 CE
- Alexander IIIPope1159 CE – 1181 CE
- Lucius IIIPope1181 CE – 1185 CE
- Urban IIIPope1185 CE – 1187 CE
- Gregory VIIIPope1187 CE
- Clement IIIPope1188 CE – 1191 CE
- Celestine IIIPope1191 CE – 1198 CE
- Innocent IIIPope1198 CE – 1216 CE
- Honorius IIIPope1216 CE – 1227 CE
- Gregory IXPope1227 CE – 1241 CE
- Celestine IVPope1241 CE
- Innocent IVPope1243 CE – 1254 CE
- Alexander IVPope1254 CE – 1261 CE
- Urban IVPope1261 CE – 1264 CE
- Clement IVPope1265 CE – 1268 CE
- Gregory XPope1271 CE – 1276 CE
- Adrian VPope1276 CE
- Innocent VPope1276 CE
- John XXIPope1276 CE – 1277 CE
- Nicholas IIIPope1277 CE – 1280 CE
- Martin IVPope1281 CE – 1285 CE
- Honorius IVPope1285 CE – 1287 CE
- Nicholas IVPope1288 CE – 1292 CE
- Celestine VPope1294 CE
- Boniface VIIIPope1295 CE – 1303 CE
- Benedict XIPope1303 CE – 1304 CE
- Clement VPope1305 CE – 1314 CE
- John XXIIPope1316 CE – 1334 CE
- Benedict XIIPope1335 CE – 1342 CE
- Clement VIPope1342 CE – 1352 CE
- Innocent VIPope1353 CE – 1362 CE
- Urban VPope1362 CE – 1370 CE
- Gregory XIPope1371 CE – 1378 CE
- Urban VIPope1378 CE – 1389 CE
- Boniface IXPope1389 CE – 1404 CE
- Innocent VIIPope1404 CE – 1406 CE
- Gregory XIIPope1406 CE – 1415 CE
- Martin VPope1417 CE – 1431 CE
- Eugene IVPope1431 CE – 1447 CE
- Nicholas VPope1447 CE – 1455 CE
- Callixtus IIIPope1455 CE – 1458 CE
- Pius IIPope1458 CE – 1464 CE
- Paul IIPope1464 CE – 1471 CE
- Sixtus IVPope1471 CE – 1484 CE
- Innocent VIIIPope1484 CE – 1492 CE
- Alexander VIPope1492 CE – 1503 CE
- Julius IIPope1503 CE – 1513 CE
- Pius IIIPope1503 CE
- Leo XPope1513 CE – 1521 CE
- Adrian VIPope1522 CE – 1523 CE
- Clement VIIPope1523 CE – 1534 CE
- Paul IIIPope1534 CE – 1549 CE
- Julius IIIPope1550 CE – 1555 CE
- Marcellus IIPope1555 CE
- Paul IVPope1555 CE – 1559 CE
- Pius IVPope1560 CE – 1565 CE
- Pius VPope1566 CE – 1572 CE
- Gregory XIIIPope1572 CE – 1585 CE
- Sixtus VPope1585 CE – 1590 CE
- Gregory XIVPope1590 CE – 1591 CE
- Urban VIIPope1590 CE
- Innocent IXPope1591 CE
- Clement VIIIPope1592 CE – 1605 CE
- Leo XIPope1605 CE
- Paul VPope1605 CE – 1621 CE
- Gregory XVPope1621 CE – 1623 CE
- Urban VIIIPope1623 CE – 1644 CE
- Innocent XPope1644 CE – 1655 CE
- Alexander VIIPope1655 CE – 1667 CE
- Clement IXPope1667 CE – 1669 CE
- Clement XPope1670 CE – 1676 CE
- Innocent XIPope1676 CE – 1689 CE
- Alexander VIIIPope1689 CE – 1691 CE
- Innocent XIIPope1691 CE – 1700 CE
- Clement XIPope1700 CE – 1721 CE
- Innocent XIIIPope1721 CE – 1724 CE
- Benedict XIIIPope1724 CE – 1730 CE
- Clement XIIPope1730 CE – 1740 CE
- Benedict XIVPope1740 CE – 1758 CE
- Clement XIIIPope1758 CE – 1769 CE
- Clement XIVPope1769 CE – 1774 CE
- Pius VIPope1775 CE – 1799 CE
- Pius VIIPope1800 CE – 1823 CE
- Leo XIIPope1823 CE – 1829 CE
- Pius VIIIPope1829 CE – 1830 CE
- Gregory XVIPope1831 CE – 1846 CE
- Pius IXPope1846 CE – 1878 CE
- Leo XIIIPope1878 CE – 1903 CE
Language & currency
- Official & national languages
- Latin
- Currency
- papal lira, Roman scudo
Sources
Every figure above comes from one of these. Nothing on this page is estimated, interpolated or model-generated.
Seshat Global History Databank. Cliopatria: a historical basemap of polity borders (cliopatria.geojson).
Correlates of War NMC v6.0v6.0
Singer, J.D. (1987). National Material Capabilities Data (NMC), v6.0. Correlates of War Project.
Free academic use, citation
HiSCoD (Historical Social Conflict Database)2021
Chevalier, J. et al. HiSCoD: Historical Social Conflict Database. Université de Rennes.
Academic use, attribution
Seshat Equinox 2020Equinox 2020
Turchin, P. et al. Seshat Global History Databank, Equinox 2020 release.
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
V-Dem v15v15
Coppedge, M. et al. (2025). V-Dem Country-Year Dataset v15. Varieties of Democracy Project.
Free academic/non-commercial use, attribution
Wikipedia contributors. Article lead sections, reused under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Papal States is one of the polities with a sourced record deep enough to publish.