Pope John X

Pope John X
Papacy began	March 914
Papacy ended	May 928
Predecessor	Lando
Successor	Leo VI
Personal details
Birth name	Giovanni da Tossignano
Born	860 Tossignano, Papal States
Died	c. June 928 Rome, Papal States

Pope John X (Latin: Ioannes X; died c. June 928) was Pope from March 914 to his death in 928. A candidate of the Counts of Tusculum, he attempted to unify Italy under the leadership of Berengar of Friuli, and was instrumental in the defeat of the Saracens at the Battle of Garigliano. He eventually fell out with Marozia, who had him deposed, imprisoned, and finally murdered. John’s pontificate occurred during the period known as the Saeculum obscurum.

John X, whose father’s name was also John, was born at Tossignano, along the Santerno River. He was made a deacon by Peter IV, the Bishop of Bologna, where he attracted the attention of Theodora, the wife of Theophylact, Count of Tusculum, the most powerful noble in Rome. It was alleged by Liutprand of Cremona that John became her lover during a visit to Rome; it has also been speculated that John was related to either Theodora or Theophylact. Regardless, it was through Theodora’s influence that John was on the verge of succeeding Peter as bishop of Bologna, when the post of Archbishop of Ravenna became available. He was consecrated as Archbishop in 905 by Pope Sergius III, another clerical candidate of the Counts of Tusculum.

During his eight years as archbishop, John worked hard with Pope Sergius in an unsuccessful attempt to have Berengar of Friuli crowned Holy Roman Emperor and to depose Louis the Blind. He also had to defend himself from a usurper who tried to take his See (district under the supervision of a Bishop) away, as well as confirming his authority over Nonantola Abbey when the abbot attempted to free it from the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Ravenna.

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