Theodora (10th century) senatrix [59725]

  General Notes:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodora_(10th_century)


Theodora was a senatrix and serenissima vestaratrix of Rome , mother of Marozia , concubine to Pope Sergius III , whose pontificate , so far as is known, was remarkable for nothing but the rise of the pornocracy of Theodora and her daughters, a period also called the Rule of the Harlots.
Theodora was a grandmother of Pope John XI , a son of Marozia and\emdash according to Liutprand of Cremona and the Liber Pontificalis -Pope Sergius III . A third contemporary source, however\emdash the annalist Flodoard (c. 894-966)\emdash says John XI was brother of Alberic II, the latter being the offspring of Marozia and her husband Alberic I. Hence John too was probably the son of Marozia and Alberic I.


Theodora was characterized by the aforementioned Liutprand, Italian historian and bishop of Cremona , as a "shameless whore ... [who] exercised power on the Roman citizenry like a man." This bishop of Cremona was described by the Catholic Encyclopedia as frequently being unfair to his adversaries and could be partial in his judgments. Seeing how many in the church were biased against female rule, not all that has been written by him can therefore be taken as undisputed truth.

Theodora married Theophylact I Count of Tusculum [59724] [MRIN: 551616415]. (Theophylact I Count of Tusculum [59724] was born before 864 and died between 924 and 925.)