Theophylact I, Count of Tusculum
Encyclopedia
Theophylact I was a medieval Count of Tusculum
who served Louis III, Holy Roman Emperor as judex and then was elected to head Rome as consul by the city's nobility in 915, an appointment that was confirmed by the Pope. He also was styled as senator, glorissimus dux, judex dativus, and magister militum. Together with his wife Theodora, he controlled the city of Rome
and the Papacy in the early 10th century.
Theophylact is mentioned for the first time in a document of 901 as palatine judex
of the Emperor Louis III. Remaining in Rome at the command of a group of soldiers after the former's return to Provence
, he became sacri palatii vestararius
and magister militum
of Pope Sergius III
, effectively seizing control of the city. All subsequent popes of the period were elected at Theophylact's will.
His wife Theodora, who was styled senatrix and serenissima vestaratrix of Rome, prevailed upon him to support her lover as pope and he was installed as John X
in 914. Theodora’s influence established her next two nominees on the papal throne: Anastasius III
and Lando
. The influence of Theodora and her descendants over the papacy is known as the Pornocracy.
The heirs of Theophylact, the Tusculani, were the rivals of the Crescentii
in controlling Rome, and placed several popes on the Chair of St Peter. Their eventual heirs were the Colonna
.
Counts of Tusculum
The counts of Tusculum were the most powerful secular noblemen in Latium, near Rome, in the present-day Italy between the 10th and 12th centuries. Several popes and an antipope during the 11th century came from their ranks. They created and perfected the political formula of noble-papacy, wherein...
who served Louis III, Holy Roman Emperor as judex and then was elected to head Rome as consul by the city's nobility in 915, an appointment that was confirmed by the Pope. He also was styled as senator, glorissimus dux, judex dativus, and magister militum. Together with his wife Theodora, he controlled the city of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and the Papacy in the early 10th century.
Theophylact is mentioned for the first time in a document of 901 as palatine judex
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
of the Emperor Louis III. Remaining in Rome at the command of a group of soldiers after the former's return to Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
, he became sacri palatii vestararius
Vestararius
The vestararius was the manager of the medieval Roman Curia office of the vestiarium , responsible for the management of papal finances as well as the papal wardrobe...
and magister militum
Magister militum
Magister militum was a top-level military command used in the later Roman Empire, dating from the reign of Constantine. Used alone, the term referred to the senior military officer of the Empire...
of Pope Sergius III
Pope Sergius III
Pope Sergius III was a pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 29 January 904 to 14 April 911. Because Sergius III was possibly the only pope known to have ordered the murder of another pope and the only pope to have fathered an illegitimate son who later became pope , his reign has been described...
, effectively seizing control of the city. All subsequent popes of the period were elected at Theophylact's will.
His wife Theodora, who was styled senatrix and serenissima vestaratrix of Rome, prevailed upon him to support her lover as pope and he was installed as John X
Pope John X
Pope John X, Pope from March 914 to May 928, was deacon at Bologna when he attracted the attention of Theodora, the wife of Theophylact, Count of Tusculum, the most powerful noble in Rome, through whose influence he was elevated first to the see of Bologna and then to the archbishopric of...
in 914. Theodora’s influence established her next two nominees on the papal throne: Anastasius III
Pope Anastasius III
Pope Anastasius III was Pope from April 911 to June 913, was a Roman by birth. A Roman nobleman, Lucian, is sometimes recognized as his father, although other sources assert that he was the illegitimate son of his predecessor Pope Sergius III .Practically nothing is recorded of Pope Anastasius...
and Lando
Pope Lando
Pope Lando was elected pope in either July or August 913. He died about six months later, in either February or March 914....
. The influence of Theodora and her descendants over the papacy is known as the Pornocracy.
The heirs of Theophylact, the Tusculani, were the rivals of the Crescentii
Crescentii
The Crescentii clan — if they were an extended family — essentially ruled Rome and controlled the Papacy from the middle of the 10th century until the nearly simultaneous deaths of their puppet pope Sergius IV and the patricius of the clan in 1012.-History:Several individuals named Crescentius who...
in controlling Rome, and placed several popes on the Chair of St Peter. Their eventual heirs were the Colonna
Colonna family
The Colonna family is an Italian noble family; it was powerful in medieval and Renaissance Rome, supplying one Pope and many other Church and political leaders...
.