(939-942)
Date of birth unknown; he became pope about 14 July, 939, and died about the end of Oct., 942. Despite the contrary assertions of late writers, there is no doubt that Stephen was a Roman and of SS. Silvester and Martin. He supported the declining Carlovingian dynasty, and by threat of excommunication forced the nobles to be faithful to the Frankish King Louis IV d'Outre-Mer. Throughout the whole of his pontificate he was subject to Alberic, Prince of the Romans, and so had little opportunity of distinguishing himself.
Liber Pontificalis, II, 244; privileges, P.L., CXXXII; FRODOARD, Annals; MANN, Lives of the Popes in the Early Middle Ages, IV (London, 1910), 212 sq.