Marozia
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Marozia Tusculani
Biography:
The daughter of the Roman nobleman Theophylact, Count of Tusculum and of Theodora, often referred to as the real power in Rome. She was called "a great whore" by the 16th century church historian, Cardinal Baronius. Marozia, along with her mother at first, would control the Papacy for many years, appointing their lovers as popes, deposing or murdering them, and establishing the period as being the "Rule of the Harlots" (904-963).Marozia bore several illegitimate children to Pope Sergius III (904-911), one of which became Pope John XI (931-935). She married Alberic I, duke of Spoleto, and had a son, Alberic II.
She received the titles of Senatrix and Patricia of Rome, from Pope John X (914-928), who was a lover of hers as well as her mother, Theodara. When things fell apart between Marozia and Pope John X, she married Guido of Tuscany in order to influence him to attack Rome and arrest her former lover, Pope John X, placing him in prison where Marozia then had him smothered to death in 928. The following year, Guido died, making Marozia sole ruler of Rome. To gain more power, Marozia then married Guy's half-brother, King Hugh of Italy. King Hugh was already married though, so Marozia had her teen-age son appointed Pope John XI (931-935) in 931, who then annulled that marriage, so they could be wed.
In 932, during the wedding ceremony of Marozia and King Hugh, a fierce arguement occurred between Marozia's teen-age son, Alberic II, and his new step-father, King Hugh. Alberic II left the ceremony, only to return with a mob to overthrow his mother and King Hugh. Alberic II had his mother imprisoned, where she later died. Hugh escaped from the city. Alberic II then became ruler of Rome.
