John di Roma (abt. 910 - 936)

Born about 0910 in Rome, Holy Roman Empire

Ancestors

Died Jan 0936 at about age 26 in Rome, Holy Roman Empire

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Deborah Talbot [send private message]

Biography

Pope John XI di Roma is Notable.

John was born to a noble family. His mother Marozia was a powerful Roman senator. It is said John's father was Marozia's lover, Pope Sergius III and not her husband Alberic I of Spoleto.^[1]

It was Marozia's political influence that enabled John to be consecrated pope at the age of 21 years, on 15 March 931.^[1][2] As his mother was the de facto leader of Rome he did her bidding until she was overthrown by her own son Alberic II.^[1]

Platina^[3] states:

John the Eleventh, a Roman, son (as some say) of Pope Sergius (foot note by translator states: and of Marozia, so Roman Catholic historians say), came to be Pope when a fountain at Genoa streamed blood in great quantities (as Vincentius and Martinus[sic] relate), a sure presage of the ensuing calamities, for soon after Genoa was taken and sacked by the Saracens, who came from Africa, and the Hungarians entering Italy, utterly destroyed all things, far and Near.

John died after he had been Pope four years, ten months, and fifteen days.

Alberic II confined Pope John XI to the Lateran where he eventually died aged 25 years.^[1]

Research Notes

This profile is being updated by the Popes Project.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Pope History This is an unreliable source and details need validation.
2. ↑ Vatican
3. ↑ Platina, Bartolomeo (1479) The Lives of the Popes From the Time of Our Saviour Jesus Christ to the Accession of Gregory VII, I, London: Griffith Farran & Co., p248-249, retrieved 2021-04-04.