Note 1. The term cardinalis may mean principalis, like the leading or principal priest heading the clergy of a church or titulo; and also it may signify a clergyman who was attached to a church other than the one for which he was ordained, mostly for liturgical functions. From the end of the fifth century until the second half of the eleventh century the term cardinalis was used to qualify presbyters permanently attached to the Roman tituli (or parishes), which were also often called tituli cardinales. When those presbyters subscribed the acts of the Roman council, they indicated the title in which they were the head presbyter or cardinalis. Pope Stephen III (IV) ( 769-772) decreed that the neighboring bishops should represent the pontiffs weekly at episcopal functions in the patriarchal Lateran basilica and should aid them with their counsel. They had been assisting the bishop of Rome, as the volume of ecclesiastical and temporal business increased greatly, for a long time. By that time, their service was already an ancient custom. These bishops received the name of episcopi cardinales. From the beginnings of the Church in Rome there were seven deacons with the duty of assisting the pope in liturgical functions and to helping in the administration of the material possessions of the Church. In the third century each deacon was assigned two of the fourteen regions in which the city of Rome was divided. Later, the number of deacons was increased and each region was assigned to one deacon, with subdeacons and notaries. Toward the end of the 7th century and the beginning of the 8th, a new institution appeared in Rome, originally from the East, the monastery deaconries, each one having a church. Each one had a deacon leading it but these deacons did not have anything to do with the deacons of the Roman Church. Towards the end of the 9th century, due to topographical changes in the city of Rome and the decline of the monastery deaconries, they all but disappeared. But not so the churches belonging to those deaconries. The cardinal deacons as we know them today did not begin to exist until the last quarter of the 11th century around the pontificates of Popes Urban II and Paschal II when they started to take part in papal functions with the banners of their deaconries and to subscribe the acts of the synods and council with the name of their deaconries like the priests cardinalis had been doing for centuries. Around 1051, the term cardinalis began to be used as a noun. The presbyters, bishops and deacons cardinalis (an adjective), listed in this site from the beginning until the time in which the term began to be used as a noun, thus describing an office, could be considered as pre-cardinals. A substantial bibliography has been consulted concerning the origin and developemt of the cardinalate during this epoch.

Note 2. Given the antiquity of this century, the date of creation of the presbyters cardinalis and the deacons cardinalisis not exactly known. The date in which they are here organized indicates when they were mentioned as such by the sources consulted and by the documentation in which they appear, such as councils and synods.

Benedict IV, a Roman and the son of Mammalus, was elected pope between January and May 900. He was not a cardinal. Died in July 903.

903 (I)
(1) 1. Cristoforo (deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church). + (?).

Leo V was elected pope in August 903. He was a parish priest in Priapi, near Ardea, in the south of Rome. He was deposed and imprisoned in September of that same year. Kelly, Oxford History of Popes, p. 118, says that after several weeks in prison he was murdered. The Catholic Encyclopedia indicates that although some authors believe that he was murdered, this pope "died a natural death in prison or in a monastery." No names of new bishops, priests or deacons cardinalis are found in his pontificate.

Antipope Christopher led the revolt that deposed and imprisoned Pope Leo V in September 903. In turn, he was deposed and imprisoned by Pope Sergius III in January 904. Like Pope Leo V, some authors say that he spent the rest of his life in a monastery and others say that he was murdered. He did not create any pseudocardinals.

904 (I)
(1) 1. Crisogono (bishop cardinalis of Porto). + Before 956.

906 (II)
(2) 1. Ildebrando (bishop cardinalis of Silva Candida or Santa Rufina). + 910.

907 (III)
(3) 1. Giovanni, archbishop of Ravenna (presbyter cardinalis of an unknown title). (1)

(1) Elected Pope John X at the end of March or beginning of April 914. He was deposed in May 928 and imprisoned in Castello Sant'Angelo where he was probably murdered on July 2, 929.

Unknown date (IV)
(4) 1. Cristoforo (presbyter cardinalis of an unknown title or deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church). + (?).
(5) 2. Anastasio (deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church). (1)
(6) 3. Landone (deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church). (2)

(1) Elected Pope Anastasius III in June or September 911. Died in June, August or October 913.
(2) Elected Pope Landone in July or November 913. Died in March or April 914.

Elected Pope in June or September 911. Died in June, or August, or October 913. No names of new bishops, priests or deacons cardinalis are found in his pontificate.

Elected Pope in July or November 913. Died in March or April 914. No names of new bishops, priests or deacons cardinalis are found in his pontificate.

914 (I)
(1) 1. Leone (bishop cardinalis of Palestrina). + 928 (?).

928 (II)
(2) 1. Gregorio (bishop cardinalis of Sabina). + Before 948.
(3) 2. Sergio (deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church). + (?).

Unknown date (III)
(4) 1. Leone (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Susanna). (1)

(1) Elected Pope Leo VI in May or June 928. Died in December 928 or January 929.

928 (I)
(1) 1. Bobone (deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church). + (?).

Unknown date (II)
(2) 1. Stefano (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Anastasia). (1)
(3) 3. Giovanni (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Maria in Trastevere). (2)

(1) Elected Pope Stephen VII (VIII) in January 929. Died in February 931.
(2) Elected Pope John XI in March 931. Died in January 936.

Elected pope in January 929. Died in February 931. No names of new bishops, priests or deacons cardinalis are found in his pontificate.

Unknown date (I)
(1) 1. Leone (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Sisto). (1)

(1) Elected Pope Leo VII on January 3 or 9, 936. Died July 13, 939.

Unknown date (I)
(1) 1. Stefano (presbyter cardinalis of the title of Ss. Silvestro e Martino). (1)

(1) Elected Pope Stephen VIII (IX) on July 14, 939. Died in late October 942.

941 (I)
(1) 1. Leone (bishop cardinalis of Velletri). + 963.

Unknown date (II)
(2) 1. Marino (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Ciriaco alle Terme). (1)

(1) Elected Pope Marinus II on October 30 or November, 942. Died in May 946.

Unknown date (I)
(1) 1. Agapito (deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church). (1)
(2) 2. Bonifazio, bishop of Sutri (presbyter cardinalis of an unknown title or deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church). + (?).
(3) 3. Ottaviano (deaconry of S. Maria in Domnica). (2)

(1) Elected Pope Agapitus II on May 10, 946. Died in December 955.
(2) Elected Pope John XII on December 16, 955. Deposed by a Roman synod, convoked and presided by Emperor Otto I, and thus illegitimate, on December 4, 963. Restored by the Romans in February 964. Died on May 14, 964.

946 (I)
(1) 1. Benigno (bishop cardinalis of Ostia). + Before 960.
(2) 2. Hadamar, O.S.B., abbot of Fulda, Germany (presbyter cardinalis of an unknown title). + May 25, 956.

948 (II)
(3) 1. Anastasio (bishop cardinalis of Sabina). + Before 963.

955 (III)
(4) 1. Costantino (bishop cardinalis of Porto). + Before 960.
(5) 2. Faustino (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Pietro in Vincoli). + Before 964.

956 (I)
(1) 1. Giovanni (presbyter cardinalis of an unknown title). + (?).

960 (II)
(2) 1. Siccone (bishop cardinalis of Ostia). + (?).
(3) 2. Benedetto (bishop cardinalis of Porto). + 969 (or before 985).

961 (III)
(4) 1. Benedetto, called Grammatico (deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church). (1)

(1) Elected Pope Benedict V in May 964. He was deposed on June 23, 964. Died on July 4, 966, in exile in Hamburg.

First documented in the Roman Council of November 6, 963 (IV)
(5) 1. Gregorio (bishop cardinalis of Albano). + 985.
(6) 2. Giovanni (bishop cardinalis of Sabina). + Before 997.
(7) 3. Teofilo (bishop cardinalis of Palestrina). + Before 988.
(8) 4. Vidone (bishop cardinalis of Silva Candida or Santa Rufina). + 969.
(9) 5. Lunisso (bishop cardinalis of Gabii). + Ca 969.
(10) 6. Stefano (presbyter cardinalis of the title of Ss. Nereo ed Achilleo). + Before 980.
(11) 7. Leone (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Balbina). + (?).
(12) 8. Domno (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Anastasia). + (?).
(13) 9. Pietro (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Lorenzo in Damaso). + Before 993.
(14) 10. Teofilatto (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Crisogono). + Before 1026.
(15) 11. Giovanni (presbyter cardinalis of the title of Ss. Silvestro e Martino ai Monti). + (?).
(16) 12. Giovanni (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Susanna). + Before 1012.
(17) 13. Pietro (presbyter cardinalis of the title of Ss. Giovanni e Paolo). + (?).
(18) 14. Adriano (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Maria in Trastevere). + Before 972.
(19) 15. Adriano (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Lorenzo in Lucina). + (?).
(20) 16. Benedetto (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Sisto). + Before 993.
(21) 17. Teofilatto (presbyter cardinalis of the title of Ss. Quattro Coronati). + (?).
(22) 18. Stefano (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Sabina). + (?).
(23) 19. Benedetto (deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church). + (?).
(24) 20. Giovanni (deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church). + (?).
(25) 21. Bonfilio (deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church). + (?).

964 (V)
(26) 1. Gregorio (bishop cardinalis of Ostia). + (or disappeared) before 969.
(27) 2. Stefano (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Cecilia). + Before 967.
(28) 3. Giorgio (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Pietro in Vincoli). + Before 972.
(29) 4. Leone (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Croce in Gerusalemme). + (?).
(30) 5. Giuliano (presbyter cardinalis of an unknown title). + (?).

Leo VIII was elected by acclamation with Emperor Otto I's approval in the Roman synod of December 4, 963, which deposed Pope John XII. The synod is considered illegitimate for not having been convoked by the pope. Leo was a layman, chief notary (protoscrinarius) of the Church. He was installed at the Lateran and received all the lower sacred orders in one day, which was uncanonical. On December 6, he was consecrated by the bishops cardinalis of Ostia, Porto, and Albano. The legitimacy of his pontificate, at least until Pope John XII's death, has been debated. It depends on the validity of that pope's deposition. He may have been an antipope until May of that year, when John XII's death occurred. Following is a note from Annuario Pontificio per l'anno 2009 (Città del Vaticano : Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2009), p. 12*, concerning the standing of Pope Leo VIII's pontificate:

"Leone VIII fu eletto nel concilio romano tenuto nella Basilica di S. Pietro dall'imperatore Ottone I dopo la deposizione compiuta lo stesso di, 4.XII.963, Giovanni XII, che morì, il 14 maggio successivo. Fu valida tale deposizione? Se si, Leone VIII fu Papa legittimo. Qui, come poi circa la metà del secolo XI, sono in campo elezioni ... sulle quali, per ragione delle difficoltà di accordare i criteri storici ed i teologico-canonici, non si riesce a decidere perentoriamente da qual parte sia la legittimità, che, esistendo in facto, assicura la legittima continuazione ininterrota dei Successori di S. Pietro. Ma da ciò deriva un'incertezza, in alcuni casi, che ha consigliato ad abbandonare nella serie dei Papi il numero progressivo."

No names of new bishops, priests or deacons cardinalis are found in his pontificate.

Note. Annuario Pontificio per l'anno 2009 (Cittá del Vaticano : Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2009), p. 13*, n. 29, says that if Leo VIII was a legitimate pope, then Benedict V, who was deposed on June 23, 964, in a Lateran synod celebrated by Pope Leo VIII and Emperor Otto I, is an antipope.

964 (I)
(1) 1. Giovanni, bishop of Narni (presbyter cardinalis of an unknown title). (1)
(2) 2. Giovanni (presbyter cardinalis of the title of Ss. XII Apostoli). + Before 993.

(1) Elected Pope John XIII on October 1, 965. Died on September 6, 972.

965 (II)
(3) 1. Bonifazio (deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church). + (?)
(4) 2. Gianvier (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Cecilia). + Before 1012.

Note. "Essai de liste générale des cardinaux. Les cardinaux du XIè siècle". Annuaire Pontifical Catholique 1926 (Paris : Maison de la Bonne Presee, 1927), p. 158, Note complétive, indicates that Chacón-Oldoini, Vitae et res gestae Pontificum Romanorum et S. R. E. Cardinalium, I, col. 724, lists 3 more presbyters cardinalis: Faustino, presbyter cardinalis of S. Pietro, but the title of S. Pietro in Vincoli was occupied by Gregorio (no. 2) from 964 to around 972; Andrea, archpresbyter of the patriarchate of Letran, believed to be archpresbyter cardinalis of the basilica, which was never a cardinalitial title. It is not known if he was ever a cardinal although Chacón seems to indicate so; and Benedetto, presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Maria ad Proespe, which is to say S. Maria Maggiore, that was never a title.

969 (I)
(1) 1. Leone (bishop cardinalis of Ostia). + 983.
(2) 2. Giovanni (bishop cardinalis of Frascati). + (?).

970 (II)
(3) 1. Gianvier (presbyter cardinalis of an unknown title). + (?).

972 (III)
(4) 1. Benedetto, iuniore (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Maria in Trastevere). + Before 993.
(5) 2. Giuliano (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Pietro in Vincoli). + (?).
(6) 3. Crescenzio (presbyter cardinalis of an unknown title). + (?).
(7) 4. Benedetto (deaconry of S. Teodoro). (1)
(8) 5. Domno (deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church). + March 974. (2)
(9) 6. Benedetto (bishop cardinalis of Sutri). (3)
(10) 7. Francone (deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church). (4)

(1) Elected Pope Benedict VI in December 972. Imprisoned in the Castello Sant'Angelo, Rome, he was strangled in July 974, by order of Cardinal Francone, who took his place under the name Boniface VII.
(2) "Essai de liste générale des cardinaux. Les cardinaux du XIè siècle". Annuaire Pontifical Catholique 1926 (Paris : Maison de la Bonne Presee, 1927), p. 159, indicates that he was elected pope Donus on December 20, 973, but Annuario Pontificio per l'anno 2009 (Cittá del Vaticano : Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2009), p. 13*, n. 21, indicates that in 972 a pope that did not exist, Donus, II, used to be listed in the series of Roman pontiffs.
(3) Elected Pope Benedict VII in October 974. Died on July 10, 983.
(4) Imprisoned and had Pope Benedict VI strangled in 974; took his place in June or July 973 under the name of Boniface VII; and was deposed in August. When Pope John XIV died on August 20, 984, Antipope Boniface VII illegitimately took over the papacy again. He died on July 20, 985.

Elected in December 972. Imprisoned in the Castello Sant'Angelo, Rome, he was strangled in July 974, by order of Cardinal Francone, who took his place under the name Boniface VII. No names of new bishops, priests or deacons cardinalis are found in his pontificate.

Imprisoned and strangled Pope Benedict VI in 974, took his place in June or July 973 under the name of Boniface VII and was deposed in August. When Pope John XIV died on August 20, 984, Francone made himself elected again under the same name. He died on July 20, 985. No names of new pseudocardinals are found in his pontificate.

975 (I)
(1) 1. Leone (presbyter cardinalis of the title of Ss. Giovanni e Paolo). + (?).

981 (II)
(2) 1. Pietro Canepanova, bishop of Pavia (presbyter cardinalis of an unknown title or deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church). (1)

(1) Elected Pope John XIV in November or December 983. Seized, assaulted, deposed and imprisoned in Castello Sant'Angelo, Rome, by order of Antipope Boniface VII. Died of starvation, or poisoned, on August 20, 984.

982 (III)
(3) 1. Werinhar, O.S.B., abbot of the monastery of Fulda (presbyter cardinalis of an unknown title or deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church). + June 983.

Unknown date
(4) 1. Giovanni (presbyter cardinalis of an unknown title or deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church). (1)
(5) 2. Giovanni (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Vitale). (2)

(1) Elected Pope John XV in August 985. Died without having been consecrated. According to "Essai de liste générale des cardinaux. Les cardinaux du XIè siècle". Annuaire Pontifical Catholique 1926 (Paris : Maison de la Bonne Presee, 1927), p. 159, some consider him antipope and others doubtful. He is not listed in the official series of Roman pontiffs in Annuario Pontificio per l'anno 20092009 (Cittá del Vaticano : Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2009), p. 13*.
(2) Elected Pope John XV (or XVI) in August 985. Died in March 996.

984 (I)
(1) 1. Giovanni (bishop cardinalis of Sabina). + Before 997.

985 (I)
(1) 1. Gregorio (bishop cardinalis of Porto). + 991.
(2) 2. Leone (presbyter cardinalis of the title of Ss. Nereo ed Achilleo). + (?).

988 (II)
(3) 1. Stefano (bishop cardinalis of Palestrina). + Before 996.

993 (III)
(4) 1. Crezcenzio (bishop cardinalis of Silva Candida or Santa Rufina). + Before 1012.
(5) 2. Bonizzone (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Lucia). + (?).
(6) 3. Benedetto (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Stefano al Monte Celio). + Before 1012.
(7) 4. Giovanni (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Lorenzo in Lucina). + Before 1012.
(8) 5. Leone (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Sisto). + Before 1037.
(9) 6. Giovanni (presbyter cardinalis of the title of Ss. XII Apostoli). + (?).
(10) 7. Giovanni (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Clemente). + Before 1012.
(11) 8. Crescenzio (presbyter cardinalis of the title of S. Maria in Trastevere). + Before 1026.
(12) 9. Gianviero (presbyter cardinalis of an unknown title). + (?).
(13) 10. Benedetto (deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church). + (?).
(14) 11. Giovanni (deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church). + (?).
(15) 12. Benedetto (deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church). + (?).
(16) 13. Giovanni (deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church). + (?).

995 (IV)
(17) 1. Teobaldo (bishop cardinalis of Albano). + 1030.
(18) 2. Brun von Kärnten (presbyter cardinalis of an unknown title or deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church). (1)

(1) Elected Pope Gregory V on May 3, 996. Died on February 4, 999.

996 (V)
(19) 1. Aldemaro (presbyter cardinalis of an unknown title or deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church). + (?).

Unknown date (VI)
(20) 1. Adalbéron d'Ardenne, O.S.B., archbishop of Reims, France (presbyter cardinalis of an unknown title or deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church ). + January 24, 988. (1)

Note. Alfonso Chacón, Vitae et res gestae Pontificum Romanorum et S. R. E. Cardinalium (Romæ : P. et A. De Rubeis, 1677), II, cols. 741-742, lists 14 presbyters cardinalis and deacons cardinalis. "Essai de liste générale des cardinaux. Les cardinaux du XIè siècle". Annuaire Pontifical Catholique 1926 (Paris : Maison de la Bonne Presee, 1927), p. 159, completed the list with additions from Francesco Cristofori, Cronotassi dei Cardinali de Santa Romana Chiesa (Rome : Tipografia de Propaganda Fide, 1888); and Charles Bertone, Dictionnaire des Cardinaux (Paris : J.-P. Migne, 1857 ; Facsimile edition. Farnborough ; Gregg, 1969).

996 (I)
(1) 1. Azzone (bishop cardinalis of Ostia). + 998.
(2) 2. Giovanni (bishop cardinalis of Albano). + 1001.
(3) 3. Pietro (bishop cardinalis of Palestrina). + 1015.
(4) 4. Giovanni (presbyter cardinalis of an unknown title). + (?).
(5) 5. Pietro (presbyter cardinalis of an unknown title). + (?).
(6) 6. Giovanni Filagato (presbyter cardinalis of an unknown title or deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church). (1)
(7) 7. Siccone (presbyter cardinalis of an unknown title). (2)
(8) 8. Suidger von Morsleben und Hornburg (presbyter cardinalis of an unknown title). (3)
(9) 9. Amico (presbyter cardinalis of an unknown title). + (?).

(1) Elected Antipope John XVI in February or March 997. Died on August 26, 1001.
(2) Elected Pope John XVII on May 16, 1003. Died on November 6, 1003.
(3) Elected Pope Clement II December 24, 1046. Died October 9, 1047.

997 (II)
(10) 1. Benedetto (bishop cardinalis of Sabina) in 997. + Before 1015.

998 (III)
(11) 1. Gregorio (bishop cardinalis of Ostia). + Before 1003.
(12) 2. Benedetto (bishop cardinalis of Porto). + Before 1001.
(13) 3. Gerbert, O.S.B. (presbyter cardinalis of an unknown title). (1)

(1) Elected Pope Sylvester II on February 28, 999. Died on May 12, 1003.

Elected Antipope John XVI in February or March 907. Died August 26, 1001, or ca. 1013. No names of new pseudocardinals are found in his pontificate.

SUMMARY
Benedict IV (900-903) - 1 cardinal
Leo V (903) - No names of new bishops, priests or deacons cardinalis are found in his pontificate
[Antipope] Christopher (903-904) - No names of new pseudocardinals are found in his pontificate
Sergius III (904-911) - 6 cardinals
Anastasius III (911-913) - No names of new bishops, priests or deacons cardinalis are found in his pontificate
Landone (913 -914) - No names of new bishops, priests or deacons cardinalis are found in his pontificate
John X (914-928) - 4 cardinals
Leo VI (928-929) - 3 cardinals
Stephen VII (VIII) (929-931) - No names of new bishops, priests or deacons cardinalis are found in his pontificate
John XI (931-936) - 1 cardinal
Leo VII (936-939) - 1 cardinal
Stephen VIII (IX) (939-942) - 2 cardinals
Marinus II (942-946) - 3 cardinals
Agapitus II (946-955) - 5 cardinals
John XII (955-964) - 30 cardinals
Leo VIII (963-965) - No names of new bishops, priests or deacons cardinalis are found in his pontificate
Benedict V (964-964 or 965) - 4 cardinals
John XIII (965-972) - 10 cardinals
Benedict VI (973-974) - No names of new bishops, priests or deacons cardinalis are found in his pontificate
[Antipope] Boniface VII (974 and 984-985) - No names of new pseudocardinals are found in his pontificate
Benedict VII (974-983) - 5 cardinals
John XIV (983-984) - 1 cardinal
John XV (985-996) - 20 cardinals
Gregory V (996-999) - 13 cardinals
[Antipope] John XVI (997-998) - No names of new pseudocardinals are found in his pontificate
Total - 109 cardinals

©1998-2023 Salvador Miranda.