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Pope Sergius III

Born: ?
Died: 14-Apr-911 AD
Location of death: Rome, Italy
Cause of death: unspecified

Gender: Male
Religion: Roman Catholic
Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Religion

Nationality: Italy
Executive summary: Roman Catholic Pope, 904-911

Sergius III was elected pope by one of the factions in Rome in 898, simultaneously with John IX, only to be expelled from the city by his adversaries. Circumstances becoming more favorable, he reappeared in 904, seized the two claimants, Leo V and Christopher, who were disputing the succession of Benedict IV, and had them strangled. His adherents rallied round the vestiarius Theophylact, a powerful Roman functionary, and his wife Theodora. Sergius is reputed to have been the lover of Theodora's daughter Marozia, by whom he is said to have had a son, who became Pope John XI. This was the beginning of the so-called "pornocracy". Unlike John IX and his successors, Sergius was very hostile to the memory of Pope Formosus, and refused to recognize any of the ordinations celebrated by him, thus causing grave disorders. He also affected to consider as anti-popes not only John IX, but also his successors down to and including Christopher. He restored the Lateran basilica, which had collapsed in 897. He was succeeded by Anastasius III.

Father: Benedict
Mistress: Marozia (Roman pornocrat; b. circa 896)
Son: Pope John XI

    Roman Catholic Pope 21-Jan-904 to 14-Apr-911

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Sergius III


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