Boniface VIII was one of the last popes to reign before the crushing of the Templar Order.  He was involved in a bitter conflict with King Philip of France – the very king who would then go on to crush the Templar order.  By then, Boniface was dead and a more compliant pope reigned in his place.

The poet Dante was no fan of Boniface and he features as a character in hell in Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy’.   He was accused by Dante of the sin of simony.   Here is a video depiction of Boniface’s fate in hell.