John XI
John XI
Pope, a natural son of Marozia, and, in all probability, of pope Sergius III, was seated on St. Peter's chair by his mother, in whose hands rested at this time (931) the power to supply any vacancies in the papal chair. Of course spiritual government was by such people not in consideration; in fact, Rome was now by all Christendom detested like a pestiferous swamp. "Marozia, not content with having been the wife of a marquis, the wife of a wealthy and powerful duke of Tuscany, perhaps the mistress of one, certainly the mother of another pope, looked still higher in her lustful ambition; she must wed a monarch. To the king of Italy her hand was offered, and by him accepted. But if the Romans had brooked the rule of a Roman woman, they would not so readily consent for her paramour, a foreigner, to rule over them, and, headed by Marozia's own son Alberic, the nobles put an end to the government of Marozia (and Hugh of Provence) and of pope John XI by expelling the former and imprisoning the latter, who died of poison, as is generally supposed, in January, 936. See Milman, Lat. Christ. 3, 165 sq.; Du Chesne, Hist. des Papes, 2, 460; Aschbach, Kirchen Lex. 3, 518; Bower, Hist. of the Popes, 5, 96 sq. start
