He belongs to a fascinating family, his great-uncle is pope John XII, his brothers are popes John XIX and Benedict VIII, on top of that he is the father of pope Benedict IX. However I am interested in an other line of his descendants.
From Gregorio II the information came from Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Fuerstlich Haeuser 1959 page 430
1.Alberico III, Count of Tusculum
father of
2.Gregorio II, Count of Tusculum, 1030-1054
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3.Gregorio III died 1126
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4.Pietro I, signore della Colonna 1078-1108-married Emilia Contessa di Palestrina
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5.Pietro II signore della Colonna mentioned in 1116
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6.Oddone signore della Colonna mentioned in 1151
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and so on.
Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, shows that generations 4-5-6 are based on secure information, but all earlier generations, every generation, is in question.
Now I found a fascinating book about "the families that made Rome", by Canadian Anthony Majanlahti and he is pretty blunt with his opinion about the origins of the Colonna family:
"The family established itself in Rome by the end of the twelfth century, but a certain fog hovers over their origins. Some authorities assert their descent from the family of the counts of Tusculum, though the only basis for this is the geographical proximity of the power bases of the two families."
Then he mentions how others want to claim this family descended from Julius Caesar and thus from the goddess Venus.
Anthony Majanlahti agrees with Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, that the first acceptable Colonna is Pietro I 1078-1108
And so, sadly, I am going to disbelieve George Williams who gives a slightly differing line of descent, and I am going to disconnect Pietro I from Gregorio III
Does anyone have better information? Whether it restores the link or not?
With many thanks
Leo van de Pas,
Canberra