Count of Canossa
Encyclopedia
The counts of Canossa were a family of Italian lords holding the castle of Canossa
, which they built, from the early tenth to the early twelfth century.
Of a family from Lucca
, Sigifred I built the castle at Canossa around 940
. The lords were soon using the title comes (count) and had received many other Tuscan
counties from the Holy Roman Emperors. Guastalla
in 991
, Parma
, Piacenza
, Bergamo
, and Cremona
in 984
, Brescia
in 980
, Mantua
had been obtained in 977
, Modena
, Carpi, and Reggio
in 962
, and Lucca
even earlier. In 1027, the March of Tuscany
was granted to Boniface
and, in 1100, the March of Verona
to Matilda, known as La Gran Contessa. The details of the relations between Sigifred's sons Sigifred II and Adalbert Atto
are unknown and the latter appears in Canossa in time to give refuge to Queen Adelaide
when she was fleeing Berengar II
and Willa
in 955
.
The Bishop of Arezzo from 1023 to 1036 was a member of the house: Tedald
, sponsor of Guido of Arezzo
.
Canossa
Canossa is a comune and castle town in Emilia-Romagna, famous as the site where Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV did penance in 1077, standing three days bare-headed in the snow, in order to reverse his excommunication by Pope Gregory VII...
, which they built, from the early tenth to the early twelfth century.
Of a family from Lucca
Lucca
Lucca is a city and comune in Tuscany, central Italy, situated on the river Serchio in a fertile plainnear the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Lucca...
, Sigifred I built the castle at Canossa around 940
940
Year 940 was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Saadia Gaon compiles his siddur in Iraq.* Narita-san Temple is founded in Chiba, Japan....
. The lords were soon using the title comes (count) and had received many other Tuscan
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
counties from the Holy Roman Emperors. Guastalla
Guastalla
Guastalla is a town and comune in the province of Reggio Emilia in Emilia-Romagna, Italy.-Geography:Guastalla is situated in the Po Valley, and lies on the banks of the Po River...
in 991
991
Year 991 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Battle of Maldon: The Anglo-Saxons are defeated by Viking invaders led by Olaf Tryggvason, later Olaf I of Norway....
, Parma
Parma
Parma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its ham, its cheese, its architecture and the fine countryside around it. This is the home of the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world....
, Piacenza
Piacenza
Piacenza is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Piacenza...
, Bergamo
Bergamo
Bergamo is a town and comune in Lombardy, Italy, about 40 km northeast of Milan. The comune is home to over 120,000 inhabitants. It is served by the Orio al Serio Airport, which also serves the Province of Bergamo, and to a lesser extent the metropolitan area of Milan...
, and Cremona
Cremona
Cremona is a city and comune in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po River in the middle of the Pianura Padana . It is the capital of the province of Cremona and the seat of the local City and Province governments...
in 984
984
Year 984 was a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Emperor Kazan succeeds Emperor En'yū on the throne of Japan....
, Brescia
Brescia
Brescia is a city and comune in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, between the Mella and the Naviglio, with a population of around 197,000. It is the second largest city in Lombardy, after the capital, Milan...
in 980
980
Year 980 was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Otto II renounces his claim to Lorraine.* The Viking ring castle of Trelleborg is constructed in Denmark....
, Mantua
Mantua
Mantua is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family, made it one of the main artistic, cultural and notably musical hubs of Northern Italy and the country as a whole...
had been obtained in 977
977
Year 977 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Saint Æthelwold of Winchester, Bishop of Winchester, rebuilds the western end of the Old Minster, Winchester, with twin towers and no apses.* German emperor Otto II grants Lower Lorraine, where modern-day Brussels is...
, Modena
Modena
Modena is a city and comune on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy....
, Carpi, and Reggio
Reggio Emilia
Reggio Emilia is an affluent city in northern Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region. It has about 170,000 inhabitants and is the main comune of the Province of Reggio Emilia....
in 962
962
Year 962 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* February 2 – Pope John XII crowns Otto I the Great Holy Roman Emperor....
, and Lucca
Lucca
Lucca is a city and comune in Tuscany, central Italy, situated on the river Serchio in a fertile plainnear the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Lucca...
even earlier. In 1027, the March of Tuscany
March of Tuscany
The March of Tuscany or Tuscia was a frontier march in central Italy, bordering the Papal States to the south and east, the Ligurian Sea to the west, and the rest of the Kingdom of Italy to the north. It was a Carolingian creation, a successor of the Lombard Duchy of Tuscia...
was granted to Boniface
Boniface III of Tuscany
Boniface III , son of Tedald of Canossa and the father of Matilda of Canossa, was the most powerful north Italian prince of his age...
and, in 1100, the March of Verona
March of Verona
The March of Verona and Aquileia was a vast march in northeastern Italy during the Middle Ages, centered on the cities of Verona and Aquileia. Except for Venice, it included the territories of the modern-day regions of Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia as well as Istria and Trentino up to the Adige...
to Matilda, known as La Gran Contessa. The details of the relations between Sigifred's sons Sigifred II and Adalbert Atto
Adalbert Atto of Canossa
Adalbert Atto was the first Count of Canossa and founder of that noble house which eventually was to play a determinant rôle in the political settling of Italy and the Investiture Controversy in the eleventh and twelfth centuries.Adalbert first appears in sources as a son of Sigifred, who is...
are unknown and the latter appears in Canossa in time to give refuge to Queen Adelaide
Adelaide of Italy
Saint Adelaide of Italy , also called Adelaide of Burgundy, was the second wife of Otto the Great, Holy Roman Emperor...
when she was fleeing Berengar II
Berengar II of Italy
Berengar of Ivrea , sometimes also referred to as Berengar II of Italy, was Margrave of Ivrea and usurper King of Italy from 950 until his deposition in 961, the last before Italy's incorporation into the Holy Roman Empire...
and Willa
Willa of Tuscany
Willa, known as Willa of Tuscany , was the daughter of Boso of Tuscany and the wife and queen consort of Berengar II of Italy. She was the mother of Adalbert, Guy, and Conrad....
in 955
955
Year 955 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* August 10 – Battle of Lechfeld: Otto I the Great defeats the Magyars, halting their westward expansion and ending the threat to Germany.* Eadwig becomes King of England.- Religion :* December 16 – Pope...
.
The Bishop of Arezzo from 1023 to 1036 was a member of the house: Tedald
Tedald, Bishop of Arezzo
Tedald , also known as Theodald, Theodaldus, Tedaldus, Tedaldo, or Teodaldo, was the forty-third Bishop of Arezzo from 1023 until his death....
, sponsor of Guido of Arezzo
Guido of Arezzo
Guido of Arezzo or Guido Aretinus or Guido da Arezzo or Guido Monaco or Guido d'Arezzo was a music theorist of the Medieval era...
.
Counts of Canossa
- Sigifred
- Adalbert AttoAdalbert Atto of CanossaAdalbert Atto was the first Count of Canossa and founder of that noble house which eventually was to play a determinant rôle in the political settling of Italy and the Investiture Controversy in the eleventh and twelfth centuries.Adalbert first appears in sources as a son of Sigifred, who is...
- TedaldTedald of CanossaTedald , of the House of Canossa, was the count of Brescia from 980, Modena, Ferrara, and Reggio from 981, and Mantua from 1006. He used the title of margrave because of his vast comital holdings and their frontier nature. His family's seat was Canossa and he was the son of Adalbert Azzo of...
- BonifaceBoniface III of TuscanyBoniface III , son of Tedald of Canossa and the father of Matilda of Canossa, was the most powerful north Italian prince of his age...
- FrederickFrederick of TuscanyBoniface IV Frederick was the only son of Boniface III of Tuscany and Beatrice of Bar. He was young when his father died on 6 May 1052 and he inherited the great north Italian margraviate....
- Matilda