Counts of Tusculum
Encyclopedia
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 the Pope was arranged to be elected only from the ranks of the Roman nobles. Pornocracy, the period of influence by powerful female members of the family also influenced papal history.
The counts of Tusculum remained arbiters of Roman politics and religion for more than a century. In addition to the papal influence, they held lay power through consulships and senatorial membership. Traditionally they were pro-Byzantine and anti-German in their political affiliation.
After 1049, the Tusculan Papacy
came to an end with the appointment of Pope Leo IX
. In fact, the Tusculan papacy was largely responsible for the reaction known as the Gregorian reform
. Subsequent events (from 1062 onwards) confirmed a shift in regional politics as the counts came to side with the Holy Roman Emperors against the Rome of the reformers. In 1059 the papal-decree (Election reform) of Pope Nicholas II
established new rules for the Papal election, therefore putting an end to the noble-papacy formula.
, founded by Peter (1099–1151), son of Gregory III and called Peter "de Columna" from his fief of Colonna
, east of Rome.
Tusculum
Tusculum is a ruined Roman city in the Alban Hills, in the Latium region of Italy.-Location:Tusculum is one of the largest Roman cities in Alban Hills. The ruins of Tusculum are located on Tuscolo hill—more specifically on the northern edge of the outer crater ring of the Alban volcano...
were the most powerful secular noblemen in Latium
Latium
Lazio is one of the 20 administrative regions of Italy, situated in the central peninsular section of the country. With about 5.7 million residents and a GDP of more than 170 billion euros, Lazio is the third most populated and the second richest region of Italy...
, near 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...
, in the present-day Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
between the 10th and 12th centuries. Several popes and an antipope
Antipope
An antipope is a person who opposes a legitimately elected or sitting Pope and makes a significantly accepted competing claim to be the Pope, the Bishop of Rome and leader of the Roman Catholic Church. At times between the 3rd and mid-15th century, antipopes were typically those supported by a...
during the 11th century came from their ranks. They created and perfected the political formula of noble-papacy, wherein the Pope was arranged to be elected only from the ranks of the Roman nobles. Pornocracy, the period of influence by powerful female members of the family also influenced papal history.
The counts of Tusculum remained arbiters of Roman politics and religion for more than a century. In addition to the papal influence, they held lay power through consulships and senatorial membership. Traditionally they were pro-Byzantine and anti-German in their political affiliation.
After 1049, the Tusculan Papacy
Tusculan Papacy
The Tusculan Papacy was a period of papal history from 1012-1048 where three successive Counts of Tusculum installed themselves as pope.-Background:...
came to an end with the appointment of Pope Leo IX
Pope Leo IX
Pope Saint Leo IX , born Bruno of Eguisheim-Dagsburg, was Pope from February 12, 1049 to his death. He was a German aristocrat and as well as being Pope was a powerful secular ruler of central Italy. He is regarded as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, with the feast day of April 19...
. In fact, the Tusculan papacy was largely responsible for the reaction known as the Gregorian reform
Gregorian Reform
The Gregorian Reforms were a series of reforms initiated by Pope Gregory VII and the circle he formed in the papal curia, circa 1050–80, which dealt with the moral integrity and independence of the clergy...
. Subsequent events (from 1062 onwards) confirmed a shift in regional politics as the counts came to side with the Holy Roman Emperors against the Rome of the reformers. In 1059 the papal-decree (Election reform) of Pope Nicholas II
Pope Nicholas II
Pope Nicholas II , born Gérard de Bourgogne, Pope from 1059 to July 1061, was at the time of his election the Bishop of Florence.-Antipope Benedict X:...
established new rules for the Papal election, therefore putting an end to the noble-papacy formula.
Counts and their titles
This list is partially incomplete in the tenth century and the chronology and dates of the various countships are often uncertain. They were only counts from about 1013, lords before.- before 924 Theophylact ITheophylact I, Count of TusculumTheophylact 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...
- until 924 Alberic IAlberic I of SpoletoAlberic I was the Lombard duke of Spoleto from between 896 and 900 until 920, 922, or thereabouts. He first appears as a page to Guy III of Spoleto at the Battle on the Trebbia in 889 He may have later been the count of Fermo or margrave of Camerino, but whatever the case, he succeeded to Spoleto...
, consul son-in-law - 924 – 954 Alberic IIAlberic II of SpoletoAlberic II was ruler of Rome from 932 to 954, after deposing his mother Marozia and his stepfather, King Hugh of Italy.He was of the house of the Counts of Tusculum, the son of the notorious Marozia by her first husband, Alberic I, Duke of Spoleto. His half-brother was Pope John XI...
, son - before 1013 Gregory IGregory I, Count of TusculumGregory I was the Count of Tusculum sometime between 954 and 1012. Consul et dux 961, vir illustrissimus 980, praefectus navalis 999. He was the son of Alberic II and Stephanie....
, son (Excellentissimus vir – Praefectus navalis) - until 1012 Theophylact IIPope Benedict VIIIPope Benedict VIII , born Theophylactus, Pope from 1012 to 1024, of the noble family of the counts of Tusculum , descended from Theophylact, Count of Tusculum like his predecessor Pope Benedict VI .Benedict VIII was opposed by an antipope, Gregory...
, son of Gregory I - 1012 – 1024 RomanusPope John XIXPope John XIX , born Romanus, was Pope from 1024 to 1032.He succeeded his brother, Pope Benedict VIII , both being members of the powerful house of Tusculum...
, (Consul et dux, senator) brother of Theophylact II and son of Gregory I - 1032 – 1045 Alberic IIIAlberic III, Count of TusculumAlberic III was the Count of Tusculum, along with Galeria, Preneste, and Arce, from 1024, when his brother the count Roman was elected Pope John XIX, until his own death...
, (Imperialis palatii magister Consul et dux – Comes sacri palatii Lateranensis) brother of Theophylact II and Romanus; - 1024 – 1032 Theophylact IIIPope Benedict IXPope Benedict IX , born Theophylactus of Tusculum, was Pope on three occasions between 1032 and 1048. One of the youngest popes, he was the only man to have been Pope on more than one occasion and the only man ever to have sold the papacy.-Biography:Benedict was born in Rome as Theophylactus, the...
son of Alberic III - 1044 – 1058 Gregory IIGregory II, Count of TusculumGregory II was the son of Alberic III, Count of Tusculum and Ermelina. He was the Count of Tusculum and the Lateran from 1044 to his death....
, (Consul, nobilis vir, senator Comes Tusculanensis), son of Alberic III - 1058 – ca 1108 Gregory IIIGregory III, Count of TusculumGregory III was the son of Gregory II. He was the Count of Tusculum from 1058, when his father died. He is usually considered to stand at the fore of the family of the Colonna....
, (Comes Tusculanensis Consul, illustris) son of Gregory II - ca 1108 – 1126 Ptolemy I (Tolomeo I), (Consul, comes Tusculanus) son Gregory III;
- 1126 – 1153 Ptolemy II (Tolomeo II), (Illustrissimus, dominus Consul et dux) son of Ptolemy I;
- 1153 – ca 1167 Jonathan, (Comes de Tusculano) co-ruler with Raino son of Ptolemy II;
- 1153 – 1179 Raino, (Nobilis vir, dominus) brother of Jonathan, co-ruler with Jonathan.
Tusculan popes
Those who were also counts in boldface.- John XIPope John XIPope John XI was a Pope from March 931 to December 935.-Parentage:The parentage of John XI is still a matter of dispute. According to Liutprand of Cremona and the "Liber Pontificalis," he was the natural son of Pope Sergius III , Pope John XI (910? – December 935) was a Pope from March 931 (at...
, son of Alberic I, pope from 931 to 935 - John XIIPope John XIIPope John XII , born Octavianus, was Pope from December 16, 955, to May 14, 964. The son of Alberic II, Patrician of Rome , and his stepsister Alda of Vienne, he was a seventh generation descendant of Charlemagne on his mother's side.Before his death, Alberic administered an oath to the Roman...
son of Alberic II, pope from 955 to 964 - Benedict VIIPope Benedict VIIPope Benedict VII, born in Rome, the son of David or Deodatus , and previously Bishop of Sutri, died July 10, 983; belonged to the noble family of the Counts of Tusculum. He was elected by the Roman clergy and people under the influence of Sicco, imperial envoy of Emperor Otto II...
, nephew of Alberic II, pope from 974 to 983 - Benedict VIIIPope Benedict VIIIPope Benedict VIII , born Theophylactus, Pope from 1012 to 1024, of the noble family of the counts of Tusculum , descended from Theophylact, Count of Tusculum like his predecessor Pope Benedict VI .Benedict VIII was opposed by an antipope, Gregory...
, son of Gregory I, pope from 1012 to 1024 - John XIXPope John XIXPope John XIX , born Romanus, was Pope from 1024 to 1032.He succeeded his brother, Pope Benedict VIII , both being members of the powerful house of Tusculum...
, son of Gregory I, pope from 1024 to 1032 - Benedict IXPope Benedict IXPope Benedict IX , born Theophylactus of Tusculum, was Pope on three occasions between 1032 and 1048. One of the youngest popes, he was the only man to have been Pope on more than one occasion and the only man ever to have sold the papacy.-Biography:Benedict was born in Rome as Theophylactus, the...
, son of Alberic III, pope from 1032 to 1048 - Benedict XAntipope Benedict XPope/Antipope Benedict X , was born John Mincius, and later became Cardinal Bishop of Velletri. He was elected in 1058, his election having been arranged by the Count of Tusculum. However, a number of Cardinals alleged that the election was irregular, and that votes had been bought; these cardinals...
, son, antipope from 1058 to 1059
Other Tusculani
- John I, son of Theophylact II (John II was Benedict X)
- Guy, brother of Gregory II
- Peter, brother of Gregory II
- Octavian, brother of Gregory II
Successors
According to tradition, the successors of the Tusculum counts were the Colonna familyColonna 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...
, founded by Peter (1099–1151), son of Gregory III and called Peter "de Columna" from his fief of Colonna
Colonna (RM)
Colonna is a comune in the Province of Rome in the Italian region Latium, located about 20 km southeast of Rome, on the Alban Hills...
, east of Rome.