Letters to the King, Court, and Other Magnates. Archbishop John of Ravenna (905-914) and his Quest for Influence in the Kingdom of Italy

The so-called ‘Rotulus of Ravenna’ contains on its back a collection of eight letters that was copied at the beginning of the tenth century. Seven of those letters were written by Archbishop John of Ravenna (905-914), the future Pope John X (914-928), the remaining letter by Pope Sergius III (904-911). This collection of letters aims to present and celebrate John as the defender of the interests of the Church of Ravenna, depicting him amidst the most powerful and influential personalities of his time. Though the biased nature of this collection needs to be taken into account, I will attempt in my paper to shed some light not so much on the networks, but rather the strategies used by John of Ravenna in the quest to defend and assess his power and influence in the Kingdom of Italy. For this region and time, these letters represent a unique testimony for understanding episcopal strategies of power during a period of ongoing weakening of royal authority.