953 Death of Alberic, leaving his authority to his son, Octavian.
955 On death of Agapetus, Octavian is elected pope. He takes the name of John XII, the first to take an ecclesiastical name.
961 John, threatened by Berengar II, appeals to King Otto I of Germany, who comes at once to Germany and is crowned king at Pavia.
962 John crowns Otto emperor at Rome. Pope and Roman people take oath of allegiance to Otto. Otto returns to Pavia, and learns that John, fearing his mastery, has entered into correspondence with the deposed Italian king, Adalbert. He sends officers to investigate this, and they return with a long list of crimes charged against John by the Roman people.
963 Adalbert returns to Rome. Otto marches thither. The pope and Adalbert flee. Trial and deposition of the pope by Otto. Leo VIII, the chief secretary of the Roman see, is elected.
964 Otto leaves Rome. A rebellion forces Leo to flee, and the gates are opened to John, who reassumes his office. The people embrace his cause. Death of John, probably at the hands of an injured husband. Disregarding the emperor and Leo, the people elect a new pope, Benedict V. Otto proceeds against the anti-pope, who submits and is degraded. Leo, in council, recognises right of Otto and his successors in the kingdom of Italy to elect his own successors to the empire.
965 John XIII (bishop of Narni). On account of his haughtiness the Romans expel him. The prefect Rotfred assumes government of Rome.
966 Otto comes to Rome on appeal of John. Rotfred killed; John restored. Otto treats the Romans barbarously. Overawed by Otto, the Romans let John reign in peace.
972 The see vacant for three months, on death of John, while Otto is consulted. Benedict VI elected.
974 Bonifazio Francone, at the instigation of the Tuscan party, imprisons Benedict, strangles him, and assumes the papacy as Boniface VII. This anti-pope compelled to flee in a month to Constantinople. He carries off all the treasure from St. Peter’s. Election of Benedict VII, who excommunicates Boniface and, under protection of Otto II, rules in peace.