The Historians' History of the World 08

877 In league with Athanasius, duke-bishop of Naples, the Saracens reach the walls of Rome. Charles the Bald ignores John’s appeals for help. The pope compelled to pay the Saracens tribute.

878 Lambert, duke of Spoleto, in the interest of the imperial claimant, Carloman, enters Rome, seizes John, and imprisons him. John escapes, and flees to Provence. He returns to Rome.

881 John crowns Charles the Fat emperor.

882 Death of John, possibly murdered. Martin II.

884 Adrian III.

885 Stephen V.

887 On deposition of Charles the Fat the Carlovingian empire comes to an end.

891 Formosus elected by influence of Guido of Spoleto. The papacy enters a period of anarchy. The popes are elevated by whichever rival party is in the ascendant, “obtaining,” says Reichel, “their pontificate by crime, and vacating it by murder.”

896 Boniface VII dies in a few days. The Italian party elects Stephen VI. He mutilates the dead body of Formosus.

897 Stephen imprisoned and strangled. Romanus occupies the see a few months. Theodore II, who belongs to the faction of Formosus.

898 John IX, though of Formosus’ party, submits to the emperor Lambert. The right of plundering the pope’s palace, on his decease, is prohibited.

900 Benedict IV.

901 He crowns Louis of Provence, the rival of Berengar.

903 Leo V. In a few months he is imprisoned by Christopher, one of his chaplains, who secures his own election.

904 Christopher driven from Rome by the soldiers of Berengar. Election of Sergius III. The infamous Theodora and her daughters, Marozia and Theodora, have complete influence over Sergius. They further the aims of Berengar’s party. Complete degradation of the papacy.

911 Anastasius III.

913 Lando.

914 John X, archbishop of Ravenna, is elected through influence of Theodora, whose paramour he is. He proves an able pontiff, and forms a league among the Italian dukes to resist the Saracens, and, in furtherance of this project,

916 crowns Berengar emperor; then, for the first time in the history of the papacy, the pope goes forth to battle, defeats the Saracens, and destroys the fortress of Garigliano.

925 John expels the marquis Alberic, lover or husband of Marozia. Marozia’s power increases. She seizes the castle of St. Angelo. On death of Alberic she marries Duke Guido of Tuscany.

926 Treaty between Hugo of Provence and John.

928 John imprisoned by Marozia’s party, and dies, probably by violence. Leo VI.

929 Stephen VII.

931 John XI, son of Marozia and Sergius III or Alberic, elected through his mother’s influence. Guido is dead, and Marozia marries Hugo of Provence.

932 Rome rebels at this. Alberic, brother of the pope, casts him and Marozia into prison, and makes himself master of Rome. Alberic marries the daughter of Hugo.

936 Death of John in prison. He has exercised his spiritual functions, but the government of Rome has been conducted by Alberic. Leo VII.

939 Stephen VIII.

941 Martin III.

946 Agapetus II. These four are appointed by the sole will of Alberic—they have no power.

953 Death of Alberic, leaving his authority to his son, Octavian.

955 On death of Agapetus, Octavian is elected pope. He takes the name of John XII, the first to take an ecclesiastical name.

961 John, threatened by Berengar II, appeals to King Otto I of Germany, who comes at once to Germany and is crowned king at Pavia.

962 John crowns Otto emperor at Rome. Pope and Roman people take oath of allegiance to Otto. Otto returns to Pavia, and learns that John, fearing his mastery, has entered into correspondence with the deposed Italian king, Adalbert. He sends officers to investigate this, and they return with a long list of crimes charged against John by the Roman people.

963 Adalbert returns to Rome. Otto marches thither. The pope and Adalbert flee. Trial and deposition of the pope by Otto. Leo VIII, the chief secretary of the Roman see, is elected.

964 Otto leaves Rome. A rebellion forces Leo to flee, and the gates are opened to John, who reassumes his office. The people embrace his cause. Death of John, probably at the hands of an injured husband. Disregarding the emperor and Leo, the people elect a new pope, Benedict V. Otto proceeds against the anti-pope, who submits and is degraded. Leo, in council, recognises right of Otto and his successors in the kingdom of Italy to elect his own successors to the empire.

965 John XIII (bishop of Narni). On account of his haughtiness the Romans expel him. The prefect Rotfred assumes government of Rome.

966 Otto comes to Rome on appeal of John. Rotfred killed; John restored. Otto treats the Romans barbarously. Overawed by Otto, the Romans let John reign in peace.

972 The see vacant for three months, on death of John, while Otto is consulted. Benedict VI elected.