JOHN XI, pope. - Elevated to the papacy in March (?) 914, deposed in June 928, died in 929 (?). Historical tradition, especially relying on the malicious account of Liutprand, paints a very unfavorable portrait of the man; recent studies have brought to light a more vigorous figure. G. of Ravenna, previously a deacon and repeatedly sent to Rome by Archbishop Cailone, was already by July 905 archbishop of Ravenna, the eleventh to bear that name. He had already shown himself convinced of the need for spiritual and temporal authority to support each other against feudal anarchy; for this reason, he favored Berengar I.
He was elected pope with the support, or at least the consent, of Theophylactus and Theodora, the most powerful figures in Rome, with whom he had long maintained cordial relations; however, the illicit relations attributed to him with Theodora are very likely a malicious invention. He gathered into an alliance Romans, Byzantines, Alberic, marquis of Spoleto and Camerino, and the states of southern Italy, to drive the Saracens from the Garigliano, and took part in the enterprise, even risking his own person and body, and achieved a complete victory (August 915). In December 915, he crowned Berengar as emperor. In Rome, he was unable to prevent the rise of Marozia, “senatrix” and “patricia,” and later the wife of Guido, marquis of Tuscany. He favored the election as king of Italy of the energetic Hugh of Vienne, and concluded with him at Mantua (926) a “foedus”; Marozia and Guido suspected this, also because of the authority the Pope had given to his brother, Marquis Peter. The Lateran was invaded by their soldiers and Peter was killed; he