Ptolemy I of Tusculum

Who was Ptolemy I of Tusculum?

Ptolemy I was the count of Tusculum in the first quarter of the twelfth century. He was a son of Gregory III. Peter Pisanus, in his Vita Paschalis II refers to Ptolemy and the abbot of Farfa as the allies of the emperor in the same way that the Saints Peter and Paul were the allies of the pope.

He supported the Pope Paschal II and, in 1108, when the pope left for Benevento, he was given command of the Campania. Soon, Ptolemy, along with the Berald of Farfa and Peter Colonna, rebelled against papal authority. The pope returned with troops from Richard II of Gaeta and the rebels were unable to take control of Rome.

In 1111, the Emperor Henry V imprisoned the pope and some of his cardinals in Rome and Robert I of Capua sent 300 men to rescue the papal entourage. Ptolemy met the Capuan troops at Ferentino and turned them back, however.

In March 1116, the Roman Prefect Peter died and Paschal appointed a son of Pier Leoni as his replacement. The people revolted and appointed Peter, a great nephew of Ptolemy, instead. The pope was forced to flee to Albano, but not before attempting to buy Ptolemy's loyalty with the grant of Ariccia. The pope then turned on Rome and, in May, retook Trastevere and the Fumone fortress. His men captured the Prefect Peter. His relative imprisoned, Ptolemy turned on the pope once more and defeated his militia at Algidius and freed his nephew. This was the catalyst for more widespread revolt in the Campania and the Papal States.