This is a list of people executed in the Papal States under the government of the Popes or during the 1810–1819 decade of French rule. Although capital punishment in Vatican City was legal from 1929 to 1969, no executions took place in that time. This list does not include people executed by other authorities of the Catholic Church or those executed by Inquisitions other than the Roman Inquisition, or those killed in wars involving the Papal States, or those killed extrajudicially.
Most executions were related to the punishment of civil crimes committed within the Papal States, with the condemned convicted within the civil courts of the Papal States; for example, in 1585, Pope Sixtus V initiated a "zero tolerance" crackdown on crime, which according to legend resulted in more severed heads collected on the Castel Sant'Angelo bridge than melons in the Roman markets. The best records are from the tenure of Giovanni Battista Bugatti, the executioner of the Papal States between March 22, 1796 and August 17, 1861, who recorded the name of the condemned, the crime, and the location of the execution for each of the 516 "justices" he performed for the governments, papal or French. Bugatti's list ends: "So ends the long list of Bugatti. May that of his successor be shorter".
Before 1816, the most common methods of execution were the axe and noose (with burning at the stake used in high profile instances); after 1816, the guillotine (installed by the French during their control of Rome) became the norm. However, after 1816, two other methods—the mazzatello (crushing of the head with a large mallet, followed by a cutting of the throat) and drawing and quartering (sometimes, but not always, after a hanging)—continued to be used for crimes that were considered "especially loathsome".
The execution sites of choice were the Ponte Sant'Angelo, the bridge in front of the Castel Sant'Angelo, the Piazza del Popolo, and Via dei Cerchi near the Piazza della Bocca della Verita. Papal law prescribed a payment of only three cents of the Roman lira per execution for the executioner to "mark the vileness of his work" but did not prohibit the free lodging, tax concessions, and large pension awarded to Bugatti.
List of people executed by the Holy See
12th century
Arnold of Brescia, monk and participant in the Commune of Rome (1155)
13th century Gerard Segarelli, founder of the Apostolic Brethren (July 18, 1300)
14th century Fra Dolcino, Italian preacher of the Dulcinian movement (1304)
15th century
Astorre I Manfredi, Italian condottiero (November 28, 1405) Matteuccia de Francesco, Italian nun and alleged "Witch of Ripabianca" (1428) Antongaleazzo Bentivoglio, Italian condottiero (1435) Eighteen thieves who robbed and killed Holy Year pilgrims (August 27, 1500) Note: Girolamo Savonarola, Domenico da Pescia and Fra Silvestro executed in Florence (May 23, 1498) were condemned by a Florentine court. Similarly, Pietro Bernardino, a follower of Savonarola, was condemned and executed at Mirandola (1502).
16th century Cardinal Alfonso Petrucci, convicted of plotting against Pope Leo X (July 16, 1517) Gian Paolo Baglioni, Italian condottiero (June 1520) Cardinal Carlo Carafa and Giovanni Carafa, Duke of Paliano, nephews of Paul IV, sentenced to strangulation in prison and beheading, respectively, by Pius IV, as his first public act (March 5, 1561) Pomponio Algerio, civil law student at the University of Padua (1566) Pietro Carnesecchi, Italian humanist (October 1, 1567) Aonio Paleario, Italian Protestant (July 3, 1570) Menocchio, Friulian miller, mayor, and philosopher (1599) Beatrice Cenci, Italian noblewoman convicted of murder (September 11, 1599)
Giordano Bruno, Italian priest, philosopher, cosmologist, and occultist (February 17, 1600)
17th century Ferrante Pallavicino, Italian satirist (March 5, 1644) Girolama Spera, daughter and accomplice of Giulia Tofana (5 July 1659) Assistants and clients of the poison-maker Giulia Tofana (5 July 1659)
18th century Enrico Trivelli, decapitated, convicted of the composition of malicious and seditious writings against Pope Clement XII (February 23, 1737).Thomas Adolphus Trollope, A Roman Penny-a-Liner in the Eighteenth Century, The Cornhill Magazine, 46 (1882): 584–601 Nicola Gentilucci, hanged and quartered in Foligno, convicted of strangling and killing a Priest, a coachman and of robbing two friars (March 22, 1796). Sabatino Caramina, hanged in Amelia, convicted of murder (January 14, 1797). Marco Rossi, bludgeoned to death and quartered in Valentano, convicted of the murders of his uncle and of his cousin (March 28, 1797). Giacomo dell'Ascensione, hanged at Piazza del Popolo, convicted of smashing many shops (sic) (August 7, 1797). Pacifico Sentinelli, hanged in Jesi, convicted of the murders of the gaoler and of his wife (October 30, 1797).
19th century
Note: Executions between 1798 and 1815 (Congress of Vienna), executions in papal Rome were to some degree controlled by the French authorities.
1800–1810 Gregorio Silvestri, hanged at Piazza del Popolo, self-confessed conspirator (January 18, 1800). Antonio Felici, Gio. Antonio Marinucci and Antonio Russo, hanged at the Ponte Sant'Angelo, convicted of robbery (January 20, 1800). Pietro Zanelli, hanged at the Ponte Sant'Angelo, convicted of forgery of money (January 22, 1800). Francesco Gropaldi, hanged at the Ponte Sant'Angelo, convicted of robbery (afternoon of January 22, 1800). Ottavio Cappello, hanged at the Ponte Sant'Angelo, convicted of attempted armed revolution (January 29, 1800). Alessandro d'Andrea, hanged at the Ponte Sant'Angelo, convicted of the theft of a watch (February 1, 1800). Gio. Batta Genovesi, hanged, quartered and his corpse burnt at the Ponte Sant'Angelo, convicted of stealing two ciboria; his head was, then, taken to the Arch of the Holy Spirit (February 27, 1800). Gioacchino Lucarelli, Luigi de Angelis, Lorenzo Robotti, Giovanni Rocchi and Antonio Mauro, convicted of strangling and killing a Priest, were hanged and their heads and arms were cut off and displayed at Porta Angelica, and two were burnt at the Ponte Sant'Angelo (May 6, 1800). Bernardino Bernardi, convicted of the same offence, was hanged and had his head and arms cut off which were, then, displayed at Porta S. Sebastiano (..., 1800). Giuseppe Zuccherini, Giuseppe Sfreddi and Giacomo d'Andrea, hanged and quartered at Piazza del Popolo, convicted of killing a messenger from Venice (January 19, 1801). Luigi Puerio, Ermenegildo Scani, Gaetano Lideri and Leonardo Ferranti, hanged and quartered in Camerino, convicted of killing a Spanish princess (January 27, 1801). Teodoro Cacciona, hanged and quartered at Piazza del Popolo, convicted of stealing a pair of boots and L.60 (February 9, 1801). Fabio Valeri, bludgeoned to deathIn Italian, it is death by mazzuolatura and quartered in Albano, convicted of robbing an Ariccia shopkeeper (February 14, 1801). Francesco Pretolani, hanged and quartered in Viterbo, convicted of robbing and killing an innkeeper and his wife (February 21, 1801). Giovanni Fabrini, hanged at Piazza del Popolo, convicted of murder in time of peace (June 6, 1801). Domenico Treca, hanged in Subiaco, convicted of killing his wife, a priest and another person (July 4, 1801). Benedetto Nobili, bludgeoned to death at Piazza del Popolo, convicted of killing his wife, a midwife and of his house's arson (September 1, 1801). Antonio Neri, hanged in Ancona, convicted of stealing two thousand golden and silver scudi from a goldsmith, using a false key (September 26, 1801). Domenico de Cesare, hanged at the Ponte Sant'Angelo, convicted of robbing a road-sweeper (February 8, 1802). Ascenzo Rocchi and Gio. Batta Limiti hanged and quartered at the Ponte Sant'Angelo, convicted of robbing carters (February 20, 1802). Gio. Francesco Pace di Venanzio, bludgeoned to death, his throat was then slit and he was quartered at the Ponte Sant'Angelo, convicted of killing a Jew and of robbery (March 15, 1802). Domenico Zeri, bludgeoned to death and his throat was then slit in Fermo, convicted of his father's murder (April 3, 1802). Salvatore Bozzi and Giuseppe Flacidi hanged and quartered at the Ponte Sant'Angelo, convicted of robbery (April 28, 1802). Agostina Paglialonga, hanged in Orvieto, convicted of three infanticides (May 5, 1802). Antonio Nucci, bludgeoned to death and quartered in Perugia, convicted of robbing and killing a friar (May 8, 1802). Luigi Fantusati, bludgeoned to death and quartered in Perugia, convicted of robbing and killing his master (May 8, 1802). Giovanni Ferri, Fortunato Ferri and Nicola Ferri, German brothers, hanged and quartered in Terracina, convicted of robbing a messenger from Napoli (May 25, 1802). Gio. Batta Germani, hanged in Ceccano, convicted of murder (May 29, 1802). Cosimo Moronti, hanged in Genazzano, convicted of premeditated murder (June 1, 1802). Filippo Cataletti, hanged in Frosinone, convicted of murder (June 18, 1802). Felice Rovina, hanged in Collevecchio, convicted of killing a hermit by strangulation (July 7, 1802). Bernardino Palamantelli, convicted of murder and robbery; hanged at the Ponte Sant'Angelo (September 13, 1802). Stefano Viotti, bludgeoned to death in Subiaco, convicted of his father's murder (September 13, 1802). Francesco Angelo Sorelli, hanged in Ronciglione, convicted of a woman's murder (December 15, 1802). Giacomo Balletti, bludgeoned to death in Ronciglione, convicted of his father's murder (December 15, 1802). Domenico Guidi, hanged in Viterbo, convicted of murder (December 18, 1802). Antonio Lavagnini, hanged and quartered in Zagarola, convicted of robbing 27 paoliA papal silver coin, first struck during the 16th century under Pope Paul III and named after him. from a man (February 5, 1803). Gio. Domenico Raggi and Giuseppe Cioneo hanged in Viterbo, convicted of robberies and murders (March 5, 1803). Antonio Boracocoli, hanged in Ancona, convicted of stabbing a sailor, of throwing his body into the sea, without killing him, and of robbing him 200 scudi (March 15, 1803). Francesco Conti, hanged in Città di Castello, convicted of violently deflowering a spinster, in her father's house, with five comrades and of stealing 30 scudi from her (April 26, 1803). Angiolo Rossi, hanged in Gubbio, convicted of bestial and senseless murder (sic) (May 2, 1803). Giovanni Tranquilli and Vincenzo Pellicciari hanged and quartered at the Ponte Sant'Angelo, convicted of thefts and a robbery (May 21, 1803). Nicola Rossi, bludgeoned to death and quartered in Terracina, convicted of the Terracina registrar's murder; his head was then displayed at Cisterna (June 7, 1803). Giuseppe delle Broccole, hanged in Frosinone (August 8, 1803), convicted of thefts and a murder. Vincenzo Bianchi, bludgeoned to death and quartered in Orvieto, convicted of robberies and a murder (December 10, 1803). Giuseppe Ceci, hanged in Frosinone, convicted of robberies and a murder (March 8, 1804). Crescenzio, also known as Vincenzo Imondi, hanged in Frosinone, convicted of willful murder (July 12, 1804). Mattia Ricci, hanged at Piazza del Popolo, convicted of murder and resistance to the Court (September 22, 1804). Angiolo son of Pietro di Agostini, hanged and quartered in Cascia, convicted of murder and robbery (October 10, 1804). Gregorio Pinto and Paolo Bimbo hanged and quartered in Jesi, convicted of robbery (October 17, 1805). Giuseppe Gatti, Mattia Gatti and Valentino Margheri hanged and quartered at Piazza del Popolo, convicted robbers (February 12, 1805). Domenico Civitella, hanged, convicted robber (February 12, 1805). Luigi Masi, hanged in Fermo (March 30, 1805), convicted of deflowering a spinster, of her battery and her father's murder. Filippo Mazzocchi and Giuseppe Guglia hanged and quartered at the Ponte Sant'Angelo, (June 10, 1805), convicted robbers.