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Theophylact, Count Of TusculumIn the early 10th century, Theophylact, Count of Tusculum and his beautiful and unscrupulous wife, Theodora controlled the city of Rome and the Papacy. She prevailed upon him to support her lover as pope, who was installed as Pope John X in 914. Theodoras influence established her nominees as the next two popes, Anastasius III and Lando. Later in the century, Theodora's daughter, Marozia, wielded similar influence over Pope Sergius III and raised their son to the pontifical throne, with the title of John XI. The heirs of Theophylact, the Tusculani, were the rivals of the Crescentii in controlling Rome, and placed several popes on the Chair of St Peter. Their eventual heirs were the Colonna family, who stem from Piero, the son of Gregorio, Count of Tusculum, who on Gregorio's death (ca. 1064) received the castle of Colonna in the Alban Hills, together with Palestrina and other places, as his share of the inheritance. See also Tusculum, a favorite summer residence of Roman nobles during the Empire; Pliny the Younger, Cicero, and the emperors Nero and Titus were among those who built villas there. Tusculum was razed by the enemies of the Tusculani in 1191.
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