Pope Stephen VIII, was a native of Germany, was pope from about July 14 939 until his death towards the end of October, 942. During his pontificate he was subject to Alberic II of Spoleto, Prince of the Romans, and did not effectively rule the Papal States. His period as pope was during a brief interruption from the period when the church had been ruled by the so-called "pornocracy" of Theodora and Marozia, Roman noblewomen.