List of the cardinals attested in the contemporary sources during the period of pornocracy (904–964) and later until the election of Pope John XV in August 985. It certainly contains only small part of all cardinals living at that time, because only a small number of documents and other accounts useful for the reconstruction of that list have been preserved to our times.

The dates in the parentheses mark the first and last time when the cardinal appears in the sources.

Cardinal-bishops

Hildebrandus – cardinal-bishop of Silva Candida (23 May 905Italia pontificia 2, p. 25 no. 1) Leo – cardinal-bishop of Palestrina (925Ivan Kuklujević Sakcinski, Codex diplomaticus regni Croatiae, Dalmatiae et Slavoniae, vol. 1, Zagreb 1874, p. 76-82. – 2 February 933Regesta Imperii Online. Abt. II, Bd. 5 no. 111) Benedictus – cardinal-bishop of Silva Candida (29 May 939Italia pontificia 2, p. 89 no. 14 – 4 February 943Jaffè, p. 458. The bull of 21 January 944, which also bears the signature of this cardinal, is a falsehood, see Regesta Imperii. Abt. II, Bd. 5 no. 177) Leo – cardinal-bishop of Velletri (9 January 946E. Stevenson, Documenti dell'archivio della cattedrale di Velletri, (in:) Archivio della Società romana di storia patria, vol. 12, 1889, p. 73 – November 963Liudprandi historia Ottonis, MGH SS rer. Germ. 41, p. 165) Constantinus – cardinal-bishop of Porto (May 958Italia pontificia 2, p. 89 no. 17) Sico – cardinal-bishop of Ostia (November 963 – excommunicated on 28 February 964MGH Const. 1, p. 532-535) Benedictus – cardinal-bishop of Porto (November 963 – 26 May 969Migne, vol. 135, col. 976-979) Lunisso – cardinal-bishop of Labico (November 963 – 2 January 968Regesta Imperii. Abt. II, Bd. 5 no. 434 and 437) Gregorius – cardinal-bishop of Albano (November 963 – April 983Italia Pontificia 2, p. 90 no. 22; Migne, vol. 137 col. 346-349) Teophylactus – cardinal-bishop of Palestrina (November 963) Wido – cardinal-bishop of Silva Candida (November 963 – 29 December 975Jaffè, p. 480) Leo – cardinal-bishop of Ostia (2 January 968 – April 983)

Note: diocese of Sabina became a suburbicarian see only in 1063. Although some of its bishops in the 10th century are known by name, they should not be included in the list of cardinals.Hans Walter Klewitz: Reformpapsttum und Kardinalkolleg, Hermann Gentner Verlag Darmstadt, 1957, p. 24-35.

Cardinal-priests

Leo – cardinal-priest of S. Susanna,The Sigeric's catalogue of the popes (written in 990), edited in W. Stubbs: Memorials of Saint Dunstan, London 1874, p. 391 note 1. It contains the names of the popes elected between 914 and 985 and mentions the titular churches of those of them, who had been cardinals. later Pope Leo VI (June 928 – December 928) Stephanus – cardinal-priest of S. Anastasia, later Pope Stephen VII (December 928 – February 931) Johannes – cardinal-priest of S. Maria in Trastevere, later Pope John XI (March 931 – January 936) Leo – cardinal-priest of S. Sisto, later Pope Leo VII (3 January 936 – 13 July 939) Stephanus – cardinal-priest of SS. Silvestro e Martino, later Pope Stephen VIII (14 July 939 – October 942) Marinus – cardinal-priest of S. Ciriaco, later Pope Marinus II (30 October 942 – May 946) Stephanus – cardinal-priest of SS. Nereo ed Achilleo (November 963 – February 964) Leo – cardinal-priest of S. Balbina (November 963 – February 964) Dominicus – cardinal-priest of S. Anastasia (November 963 – 26 May 969) Petrus – cardinal-priest of S. Lorenzo in Damaso (November 963 – February 964) Theophylactus – cardinal-priest of S. Crisogono (November 963 – February 964) Joannes – cardinal-priest of S. Susanna (November 963 – February 964) Petrus – cardinal-priest of SS. Giovanni e Paolo (November 963) Hadrianus – cardinal-priest of S. Maria in Trastevere (November 963) Joannes – cardinal-priest of S. Cecilia (November 963 – February 964) Hadrianus – cardinal-priest of S. Lorenzo in Lucina (November 963 – February 964) Benedictus – cardinal-priest of S. Sisto (November 963 – 25 December 968Gesta archiepscoporum Magdeburgensium, MGH SS XIV, p. 382) Theophylactus – cardinal-priest of SS. IV Coronati (November 963 – February 964) Stephanus – cardinal-priest of S. Sabina (November 963 – February 964) Joannes – cardinal-priest of SS. Silvestro e Martino (February 964) Crescentius – cardinal-priestHis titular church is not known (26 May 969) Theophylactus – cardinal-priestHis titular church is not known. Perhaps he is the same as Theophylactus of SS. IV Coronati or Theophylactus of S. Crisogono (both attested in 963–964) (26 May 969) Joannes – cardinal-priest of S. Vitale, later Pope John XV (August 985 – March 996)

Cardinal-deacons

Octavianus – cardinal-deacon of S. Maria in Domnica, later Pope John XII (16 December 955 – 14 May 964) Joannes – cardinal-deacon of the Holy Roman Church (960Jaffé, p. 465 – November 963) Joannes – cardinal-deacon of the Holy Roman Church,Regesta Imperii. Abt. II, Bd. 5 no. 386 later bishop of Narni (8 August 961Gerhard Schwartz: Die Besetzung der Bistümern Reichsitaliens unter den sächsischen und salischen Kaisern mit den Listen der Bischöfe 951-1122, Verlag von B. G. Teubner in Leipzig und Berlin 1913, p. 284-285. – 1 October 965) and Pope John XIII (1 October 965 – 6 September 972) Benedictus – cardinal-deacon and archdeacon of the Holy Roman Church (November 963 – 26 May 969) Bonofilius – cardinal-deacon of the Holy Roman Church (November 963 – February 964) Benedictus Grammaticus – cardinal-deacon of the Holy Roman Church (February 964 – 22 May 964), later Pope Benedict V (22 May 964 – 23 June 964, d. 4 July 966) Leo – cardinal-deacon of the Holy Roman Church (26 May 969) Bonifatius – cardinal-deacon of the Holy Roman Church (26 May 969) Benedictus – cardinal-deacon of S. Teodoro, later Pope Benedict VI (19 January 973 – June 974) Bonifatius Franco – cardinal-deacon of the Holy Roman Church,Jaffé, p. 478; later Antipope Boniface VII (June 974 – 20 July 985) Stephanus – cardinal-deacon of the Holy Roman Church (975Regesta Imperii. Abt. II, Bd. 5 no 543) Joannes – cardinal-deacon and archdeacon of the Holy Roman Church (7 March 982P. Fedele: Tabularium S. Mariae Novae, (in:) Archivio della Società romana di storia patria, 23 (1900), p. 181-182; cf. Rudolf Hüls: Kardinäle, Klerus und Kirchen Roms: 1049–1130, Bibliothek des Deutschen Historischen Instituts in Rom, Max Niemeyer Verlag, Tübingen 1977, p. 20.) Joannes – cardinal-deacon of the Holy Roman Church (April 983)

"Presumed cardinals" Numerous writers from the 16th century onwards, including Alphonsus Ciacconius (1540–1599), Lorenzo Cardella etc. have mentioned several other cardinals ostensibly created during this period,Full list, that included both authentic and dubious names, on The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church by Salvador Miranda. For this period Miranda's list relies almost completely on the catalogue of the cardinals of the 10th century in Annuaire Pontifical Catholic, 1926, which is based mainly on Ciacconius' work titled Vitæ, et res gestæ Pontificum Romanorum, ed. A. Oldoini, Rome 1677). which, however, for various reasons should be either eliminated from that list or classified as dubious ("presumed cardinals").About the "presumed cardinals" in general see A. Paravicini Bagliani: Cardinali di curia e "familiae" cardinalizie dal 1227 al 1254, Padova 1972, p. 519 ff. and Elfriede Kartusch, Das Kardinalskollegium in der Zeit von 1181-1227, Wien 1948, p. 428-438. About the numerous errors made by the early historians of the College of Cardinals see also; Johannes M. Brixius, Die Mitglieder des Kardinalkollegiums von 1130-1181, Berlin 1912, passim; and Werner Maleczek, Papst und Kardinalskolleg von 1191 bis 1216, Wien 1984, passim They can be divided in four subsequent categories.

Authentic persons, whose cardinalate is not proven Note: in some cases it is possible that the promotion really took place; however, there is no evidence to ascertain it:

NameAlleged cardinalateNotesJohannesSalvador Miranda: The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church: General list of Cardinals, 10th Century (900-999); retrieved on 18 September 2009Cardella, p. 73-74Cardinal-deacon ca. 907, elected Pope John X (914–928)Pope John X was a deacon, but in Bologna and not at Rome; from 905 he was archbishop of Ravenna.Regesta Imperii. Abt. II. Bd. 5 no. 15; Mann, p. 152-153; Watterich I, p. 38-39 and 661AnastasiusCardinal-deacon created by Sergius III (904–911), elected Pope Anastasius III (911–913)Contemporary sources say nothing about his promotion to the cardinalateMann, p. 143-146; Regesta Imperii. Abt. II. Bd. 5 no. 1; Watterich I, p 660 LandoCardinal-deacon created by Sergius III (904–911), elected Pope Lando (913–914)Contemporary sources do not mention his cardinalateMann, p. 147-148; Regesta Imperii. Abt. II. Bd. 5 no. 12; Watterich I, p 38 and 660.ChristophorusCardella, p. 76Cardinal-deacon and primicerius created by Sergius III (904–911); relative of Pope Leo V Statement almost certainly resulted from a confusion. Primicerius Christophorus was father of Pope Leo VI (not Leo V) and is attested in several documents issued by Pope John VIII in 876; there is no evidence that he was later promoted to the cardinalate and even that he was still alive under Pope Sergius IIIMann, p. 188; Regesta Imperii. Abt. II. Bd. 5 no. 90 note. Primicerius was always in the rank of subdeacon, not a cardinal: Werner Maleczek, Papst und Kardinalskolleg von 1191 bis 1216, Wien 1984, p. 250 note 301. SergiusCardinal-deacon created by John X in 928 Certain Sergius was one of the legates of John XI in Constantinople in 932-933 but there is no evidence that he was a cardinalRegesta Imperii. Abt. II. Bd. 5 no. 111.AgapitusCardinal-deacon created by Marinus II (942–946), elected Pope Agapitus II (946–955)The Sigeric's catalogue does not list him as cardinal. Other contemporary sources also do not mention his cardinalateMann, p. 147-148; Regesta Imperii. Abt. II. Bd. 5 no. 12; Watterich I, p 41 and 672.BenedictusBishop of Sutri and cardinal under Pope John XIII (965–972), elected Pope Benedict VII (974–983)He was bishop of Sutri, but neither the Sigeric's catalogue nor the other contemporary accounts make any reference to his cardinalate Regesta Imperii. Abt. II. Bd. 5 no. 527; Schwartz, p. 264; Watterich, I, p. 686-687; Mann, p. 315-317 PetrusBishop of Pavia and cardinal created before 981, elected Pope John XIV (983–984)He was bishop of Pavia from at least 972, but neither the Sigeric's catalogue nor the other contemporary accounts make any reference to his cardinalateRegesta Imperii. Abt. II. Bd. 5 no. 621; Schwartz, p. 142; Watterich, I, p. 687; Mann, p. 330-331 Hadamar, O.S.B., abbot of Fulda (927–956) Cardella, p. 77-78.Cardinal-priest created in 946There exist numerous papal privileges for the abbots of Fulda in the 10th century, though some of them are falsehoods. However, none of them make any reference to the cardinalate of these abbots. Regesta Imperii. Abt. II. Bd. 5 no. 127, 171, 205 (falsehood), 212a, 214, 215, 216, 217 (falsehood), 227 (falsehood), 248, 249, 288, 462, 464 (falsehood), 541, 590Werinhar, O.S.B., abbot of Fulda (968–982) Cardella, p. 83-84.Cardinal created by Benedict VII

Cardinals not attested in the contemporary sources The following cardinals allegedly promoted in 10th century up to date have not been identified in the published documents from the Roman registers:The following registers have been taken into account: Jean Paul Migne: Patrologia Latina, Vol. 131, col. 971-982, 1183-1186; vol. 132, col. 799-816, 1065-1092; vol. 133 col. 889-932, 1013-1044; vol. 134 col. 989-1000; vol. 135 col. 951-1000, 1081-1092; vol. 137 col. 315-358 Paul Fridolin Kehr (ed. vol. 1-8), Walter Holtzmann (ed. vol. 9-10): Regesta pontificum Romanorum. Italia Pontificia, vol. 1-10, Berlin 1906-1975 Philipp Jaffé: Regesta pontificum Romanorum ab condita Ecclesia ad annum post Christum natum MCXCVIII. Vol. I. Leipzig 1885, p. 445-485