MAROZIA. - Born in 892 in Roma to Teofilatto, vestararius pontificio and magister militum, and to Teodora, a woman of great authority. She married the Frank Alberico, marquis of Camerino and duke of Spoleto (915), by whom she had a son, Alberico II. After Alberico’s death, she entered into a second marriage with Guido di Toscana (926), thus increasing her already very great power in Roma.
This union aroused the fear and resentment of Pope Giovanni X, who allied himself with Guido’s half-brother, Ugo di Provenza. M. fought against the Pope and his supporters, succeeding in eliminating them (928). After Giovanni X died, murdered in prison, M., who in the meantime had proclaimed herself senatrix and patricia of Roma, had her son Giovanni elected, and he became Pontiff under the name Giovanni XI (931). Illicit relations with Pope Sergio III were wrongly attributed to M. Widowed for the second time, she offered her hand to the related king of Italy, Ugo di Provenza, Guido’s uterine brother; but the new marriage was regarded as an offence against morality and religion. Ugo nevertheless came to Roma and married M. (932). During the wedding festivities Alberico II, having received a grave affront from the king, stirred up the people and the nobles; and while Ugo saved himself by flight, M. was taken prisoner and cast into prison by her son, where she died in 937.