Theophilactus I and Theodora's Family Tree

Theophilactus I and Theodora's Family Tree

See: My Ancestors - House of Calleja - House of Caruana - House of Mercieca - Pacifico Calleja - Antonia Galea Mercieca - HMS Glorious - SS Ashbury - Victor B. Caruana - Pietru Caxaro - Theophilactus I - Arnulf of Metz - Words of My Mother and Father - Family Photo Gallery

This family record traces a direct maternal line from modern-day Malta back into the political and aristocratic heart of early medieval Rome.

At the center of this lineage are Theophylact I, Count of Tusculum (c. 864–924) and Theodora (c. 870–916), a powerful noble couple whose family dominated the governance of Rome and influenced the papacy during the 10th and early 11th centuries.

This lineage spans 45 generations, beginning with my mother, Theresa Caruana Calleja (born 1920), and extends back over a millennium, connecting our family to one of the most influential dynasties in early medieval Italy.

Lineage Overview

This ancestral path reflects a historical journey through:

• Maltese families (Calleja, Caruana, Mercieca)
• Nobility of Gozo and Malta (Caxaro, Abela)
• Mediterranean aristocratic houses (De La Porta, Barozzi, D’Aragona)
• Southern Italian and Sicilian noble families
• The Counts of Tusculum, rulers of Rome
• A lineage directly tied to multiple medieval popes

Direct Line of Descent

I. Modern Maltese Line (Generations 1–18)

1. Pacifico Calleja and Theresa Caruana (Parents)
2. Carmelo Caruana and Vittoria Mercieca (Maternal Grandparents)
3. Francesco Mercieca and Carmela Dimech (Great-Grandparents)
4. Gregorio Mercieca and Nicolina Mercieca (2nd Great-Grandparents)
5. Nicola Mercieca and Rosaria Attard (3rd Great-Grandparents)
6. Francesco Attard and Domitilla Micallef (4th Great-Grandparents)
7. Pasquale Micallef and Rosa Camilleri (5th Great-Grandparents)
8. Francesco Camilleri and Maria Pace (6th Great-Grandparents)
9. Gio Maria Pace and Ubaldesca Saliba (7th Great-Grandparents)
10. Ignazio Pace and Caterina Curmi (8th Great-Grandparents)
11. Grazio Pace and Gioannella Attard (9th Great-Grandparents)
12. Giuseppe Pace and Grazia Gatt (10th Great-Grandparents)
13. Pietro Gatt and Anna Pace (11th Great-Grandparents)
14. Paolo Gatt and Anna Maria Teuma (12th Great-Grandparents)
15. Salvatore Teuma and Maria Castelletti (13th Great-Grandparents)
16. Pietro Teuma and Gioannella Bigeni (14th Great-Grandparents)
17. Giuseppe Bigeni and Maria Critelli (15th Great-Grandparents)
18. Giovanni Critelli and Margarita Caxaro (16th Great-Grandparents)

II. Maltese Nobility & Mediterranean Transition (Generations 19–30)

19. Albano Caxaro (Baron of Gozo) and Paola Abela
20. Giuseppe Pino Caxaro and Parisia Colonna Romano
21. Andreotto Caxaro and Agnese Vagnolo
22. Antonello Vagnolo and Lisa De Nasis
23. Pino De Nasis and Chiara De La Porta
24. Governor Cola De La Porta and Maria Cornari
25. Nicolas De La Porta and Maria Pisani Barozzi
26. Jacopo Barozzi de la Roche and Marchesina d’Aragona
27. John Fadrique d’Aragona (Lord of Aegina) and BRISBARRE, NN
28. Bonifacio Fadrique d’Aragona (Count of Salona) and BAROZZI, Lucia
29. Alfonso Fadrique d’Aragona (Count of Malta & Gozo) and UNKNOWN, Marulla of Verona, lady of Karystos (the illegitimate son)
    
30. Frederick II of Sicily and Sibilla di Solimella *

III. Italian Noble Line Leading to Tusculum (Generations 31–44)

31. Siro di Solimella and Ilagia di Santa Sofia
32. Riccardo Tommaso di Santa Sofia and Maria di Ragusa
33. Guglielmo di Ragusa and Costanza d’Antiochia
34. Federigo d’Antiochia and Beatrice Vassallo
35. Conrad of Antioch (Hohenstaufen) and Beatrice Lancia
36. Frederick of Antioch (Hohenstaufen) and Margherita Conti di Poli
37. Giovanni Conti (Signore di Poli)
38. Riccardo Conti (Conte di Segni) and Luciana Conti
39. Tasimondo Conti and Clarice Scotti
40. Pietro Conti (Signore di Anagni)
41. Gregorio II, Count of Tusculum
42. Alberico III, Count of Tusculum
43. Gregorio I, Count of Tusculum
44. Teofilacto II, Vestararius

IV. Tusculum Dynasty (Generation 45)

45. Theophylact I, Count of Tusculum and Theodora

The Tusculum Dynasty and Papal Influence

The family of Theophylact I, Count of Tusculum and Theodora became one of the most powerful dynasties in medieval Rome. Through their descendants, they exerted significant control over the papacy for nearly a century.

Notable Descendants and Historical Figures

This lineage includes a powerful network of nobles, rulers, and religious leaders who shaped the course of medieval history: See Index Of Dates

Papal Line

• Pope Sergius III
• Pope John XI
• Pope John XII
• Pope Benedict VII
• Pope John XIX
• Pope Benedict IX

Political Rulers of Rome

• Alberic I of Spoleto
• Alberic II of Spoleto
• Alberic III, Count of Tusculum
• Gregory I, Count of Tusculum
• Gregory II, Count of Tusculum
• Gregory III, Count of Tusculum
• Ptolemy I of Tusculum

Royal and Noble Connections

• Marozia
• Hugh of Italy
• Octavian
• Peter, Duke of the Romans
• Colonna family

Historical Significance

This period of Roman history is often referred to as the Tusculan era, during which a small number of powerful noble families exercised control over both secular and ecclesiastical authority.

The family of Theophylact I, Count of Tusculum stands at the center of this era—representing a rare convergence of political power, noble lineage, and direct influence over the papacy.

Historical Note

As with many early medieval genealogies, some relationships—particularly among noble and papal families—are based on historical reconstruction and traditional sources. While the principal figures are well-documented, exact lineage continuity reflects accepted historical interpretation rather than complete modern documentation.

Frederick II of Sicily and Sibilla di Solimella

At the union of Frederick II of Sicily and Sibilla di Solimella, the family lineage reaches a pivotal historical crossroads.

From this point, the ancestral line branches into two distinct directions reflected in this research.

One path, highlighted in the Arnulf of Metz Family Tree, continues through royal and imperial European houses, ultimately connecting to the Carolingian dynasty and figures such as Charlemagne.

The other path, presented in Theophylact I and Theodora Family Tree, follows a Mediterranean and Italian noble line through the Conti and Tusculum families, leading into the powerful Roman dynasty of Theophylact I, Count of Tusculum and Theodora.

Together, these two branches illustrate how a single ancestral point connects both imperial European history and the political and religious power structure of medieval Rome.

Legacy Statement

This lineage represents more than a record of ancestry—it reflects a connection to one of the most influential dynasties in medieval Rome.

From Malta to Sicily and into the ruling circles of Rome, this family history spans centuries of political power, religious influence, and cultural legacy.

It is preserved here as a lasting record for future generations of the Calleja and Caruana families, ensuring that this remarkable history is both remembered and understood.

Theophilactus I and Theodora's Family Tree

Theophylact I(before 864 – 924/925) was a medieval count of Tusculum who was the effective ruler of Rome from around 905 through to his death in 924. His descendants controlled the papacy for the next 100 years.

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