JOIIN IX., Pope 898-900. A Benedictine, the candidate of the Frankish party. His position amid the troubles of the time was very insecure, and, though a zealous man, he accomplished lit tle except the rehabilitation of his predecessor Formosus.—Jonx X., Pope 9I4-928. A native of Romagna. he became Archbishop of Ravenna in 905, and was raised to the Papacy by the influ ence of Theodo•a's faction. But he disappointed 1 heir expectations by striving to render his tem poral power independent of any party. He de feated the Saracens in person, and attempted a reconciliation with the Eastern Church. He was imprisoned. and finally murdered by Marozia, daughter of Theodora, in the way of whose am bitious designs he stood. His letters are in Ili exxxii.—JoHN Xl,, Pope 931-936, the son of 7NIarozia by her first husband, Alberic. She and her other son, Alherie II., practically ruled., leaving none but purely sacerdotal functions to the Pope.—Jonx XII., Pope 955-964, the son of Alberic II., elected at. the age of eighteen. Ilis name was Octavian; he was the first to introduce the practice of adopting a new name. He gained the support of Otho L. whom he crowned Em peror in 962, but fell out with him afterwards, and, in consequence of many grievous accusations, was threatened with deposition. He conquered his opponents. but died soon afterwards.—Joux XIII., Pope 965-972. He was Bishop of Narni before his choice as the candidate of Otho I. for the Papacy. By his influence with the Emperor, John recovered Ravenna and the rest of the patrimoniu n Petri. He crowned Otho's young
son as associate in the Empire, and aided in pro curing for him the hand of the Greek Princess Theophano. His letters are in Migne. Patrologia Latina, cxxxv.—Jonx X1V.. Pope 983-9S4, pre viously Bishop of Pavia and Chancellor of Otho When the Emperor died and his wife, Theophano, left Rome, John was helpless. Boniface VII, who had seized the Papacy on the death of Otho I., and had then fled to Constantinople in fear of the Counts of Tusculum, now returned and im prisoned him in the Castle of Sant' Angelo, where he was done to death four months later. Consult Floss. Pie Papstp-ahl unto). den Ottonen (Frei burg, IS5S). Another .John is included in some lists of the popes as the immediate successor of Boniface. but according to modern investigations he has no claim to the title. His inclusion has introduced a confusion into the numbering of the later Johns.
;roux XV., Pope 9S5-996, elevated by Crescen. tins and his party. and eompletely under their influence. After his death, Otho TIT. caused the election of his own kinsman Bruno. as Gregory V., but on the Emperor's departure he was driven out by Crescentius, who in 997 set up John Philagathus. a native of the Greek Province of Calabria. as JOHN XVI. He was overthrown by the return of the Emperor. and treated with a cruelty which he did not long survive.—Jonx XVII., Pope for a few monthf, in 1003.—Jonx