Pope Joan

Johanna is born in Ingelheim am Rhein shortly after the death of Charlemagne. Her father, a stern village priest, rules the family with an iron hand, while her Saxon mother secretly worships Wotan. These contrasts shape her early world and foreshadow her stubborn independence.

As a child, Johanna studies the Bible intensively, often unseen by her father. She shows articulate intelligence and a fearless grasp of the Scriptures. Her curiosity and discipline set her apart from her peers and attract attention from scholars later on.

A bishop's messenger arrives to collect Johanna for cathedral schooling, but her father claims a mistake and sends the messenger away with his other son. Johanna flees the village at night with her brother. The escape marks the beginning of a perilous journey toward learning she cannot openly claim at home.

Johanna and her brother reach Dorestad, where the bishop is surprised by her wit. The teacher Odo reluctantly admits her into the class, recognizing her unusual aptitude. Count Gerold then supports her by taking her into his home, providing shelter and protection.

Count Gerold welcomes Johanna into his household and quickly becomes a supporter. He is drawn to her intellect and spirit, and their bond deepens as she thrives in her studies. This alliance places her on a path that could reshape her fate.

As Gerold prepares for war, Richilde tries to steer events to marry Johanna off, thereby neutralizing the rival for Gerold's affections. The political machinations threaten Johanna's emerging independence. She remains determined to pursue knowledge and influence on her own terms.

Vikings crash the wedding ceremony and carry out a bloody massacre. Johanna barely survives, but her brother Johannes is killed in the attack. The raid exposes the fragility of safety and propels her to flee once more.

Johanna escapes the city in a male disguise, entering the Fulda monastery as 'Brother Johannes Anglicus'. Her father confronts her there, but he dies of a stroke when the truth is revealed. A fever soon spreads, forcing further peril and concealment.

An elderly monk recognizes Johanna's true gender long before the fever reaches its peak, allowing her to avoid exposure. She flees the monastery and finds shelter with Arn, the son of a woman she had helped years earlier. Arn becomes a pivotal ally in keeping her hidden and safe.

Choosing to keep her talents alive, Johanna re-emerges in a male guise to undertake a pilgrimage to Rome as a medicus. She seeks to apply her medical knowledge where it will be recognized, and to escape the constraints of her gendered role. The journey marks a turning point toward public legitimacy.

In Rome, Johanna earns a stellar reputation by curing Pope Sergius II of gout with her herbal remedies. The pope appoints her as his personal physician and eventually Nomenclator. Her medical skill and political acumen propel her into unprecedented prominence.

Lothair I marches on Rome to pressure Sergius II, and a hydraulic device closes the papal palace doors, seen as an Act of God. Gerold, who is with Lothair, recognizes Johanna and reveals his personal longing for her. The tension between divine signs, political scheming, and personal desire destabilizes the era.

Anastasius plots to murder Sergius II, but the people elect Johanna as pope by acclamation. During her pontificate she presents herself as a charitable ruler, aiding women and children and appointing Gerold as head of the papal army. Her reign marks a radical redefinition of papal leadership.

Johanna falls pregnant and faces grave danger to her reign. She delays childbirth until after Easter, but Gerold is killed during the Easter procession by Anastasius's conspiracy. Johanna collapses and dies in childbirth, ending her papal tenure prematurely.

Anastasius succeeds but is quickly deposed, later exiled to a monastery. He writes the Liber Pontificalis and omits Johanna from the list of popes as a final act of vengeance. Years later, Bishop Arnaldo reveals the true story of Johanna, who is later recognized as Arnalda, the daughter of Arn, completing the circle of memory.