Guaimar I of Salerno
Encyclopedia
Guaimar I (c. 855 – 901) was the prince of Salerno from 880, when his father entered the monastery of Monte Cassino
in August. His parents were Prince Guaifer
and Landelaica, daughter of Lando I of Capua
. From 877, he was associated with his father on the throne, a practice which had begun with the previous dynasty and continued until the end of Salernitan independence in 1078.
He came to the assistance of the Emperor
Charles the Bald
against the Saracens in 877, but Charles did not do any fighting before leaving Italy. The Saracens settled in Agropoli
in 881 and threatened Salerno itself. Besides Saracens, Guaimar also had to fight the duke-bishop Athanasius of Naples
, who was ruling over Capua, technically a Salernitan vassal. In 886, he travelled with Lando II of Capua
to Constantinople
and did homage, returning in 887 with the title of patrician from the emperor. He received a contingent of mercenaries and returned to ward off the Saracen menace.
Benevento had fallen under Byzantine
control by that time and Guaimar married Itta, daughter of Guy II of Spoleto
, and sister of Guy IV of Spoleto
. Guy, with the prince's aid, reconquered Benevento in 895, increasing the prestige of Guaimar, whom he offered to make regent
of Benevento. It is not certain whether Guaimar accepted, but he tried to assassinate the gastald
of Avellino
, Adelferio, and was taken prisoner with his wife whatever the case. Guy had to come down and besiege the town to rescue him. He returned to Salerno disgraced.
In 893, Guaimar had made his son, also Guaimar
, co-prince, and it was he who ruled Salerno in the elder Guaimar's absence. Upon the elder prince's return, a Neapolitan faction in the city, supported by Athanasius, revolted, but the two Guaimars put it down and the elder, like his father before him, retired (or was forced by his son) to a monastery, San Massimo
, Guaifer's foundation, in 900 or 901, dying soon after. The chronicles of his reign describe him in despotic terms and he does not seem to have been popular, despite the later popularity of his name within the dynasty his father founded.
Monte Cassino
Monte Cassino is a rocky hill about southeast of Rome, Italy, c. to the west of the town of Cassino and altitude. St. Benedict of Nursia established his first monastery, the source of the Benedictine Order, here around 529. It was the site of Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944...
in August. His parents were Prince Guaifer
Guaifer of Salerno
Guaifer was the Prince of Salerno from 861. The son of Daufer the Mute and grandson of Daufer the Prophet, he was the first of the Dauferidi to sit on the Salernitan throne which his family dominated unobstructed until 977.Guaifer's sister, Adelchisa, married Sicard of Benevento and when Sicard...
and Landelaica, daughter of Lando I of Capua
Lando I of Capua
Lando I was the count of Capua from 843. He was the eldest son and successor of Landulf the Old. Like his father, he supported Siconulf against Radelchis in the civil war dividing the Principality of Benevento in the 840s....
. From 877, he was associated with his father on the throne, a practice which had begun with the previous dynasty and continued until the end of Salernitan independence in 1078.
He came to the assistance of the Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald , Holy Roman Emperor and King of West Francia , was the youngest son of the Emperor Louis the Pious by his second wife Judith.-Struggle against his brothers:He was born on 13 June 823 in Frankfurt, when his elder...
against the Saracens in 877, but Charles did not do any fighting before leaving Italy. The Saracens settled in Agropoli
Agropoli
Agropoli is a town and comune located in the Cilento area of the province of Salerno, Campania, Italy. It is situated at the start of the Cilento coast, on the Tyrrhenian Sea. Its population is 21.251.-Pre-medieval period:...
in 881 and threatened Salerno itself. Besides Saracens, Guaimar also had to fight the duke-bishop Athanasius of Naples
Athanasius of Naples
Athanasius was the Bishop and Duke of Naples from 878 to his death. He was the son of Gregory III and brother of Sergius II, whom he blinded and deposed in order to seize the throne while he was already bishop....
, who was ruling over Capua, technically a Salernitan vassal. In 886, he travelled with Lando II of Capua
Lando II of Capua
Lando II, called Cyruttu, was the count of Capua briefly for six months in 861. He was the eldest son and successor of Lando I.In May 859, a massive joint expedition of Salerno, Naples, Amalfi, and Suessola marched on Capua. Lando I was in a paralysis at that time and his son Lando II took up arms...
to Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
and did homage, returning in 887 with the title of patrician from the emperor. He received a contingent of mercenaries and returned to ward off the Saracen menace.
Benevento had fallen under Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
control by that time and Guaimar married Itta, daughter of Guy II of Spoleto
Guy II of Spoleto
Guy II was the eldest son and successor of Lambert I as Duke of Spoleto and Margrave of Camerino. He was elected to succeed to these titles on his father's death in 880. He had an ambitious plan of expansion to the south and to the west that conflicted with the Papacy.He received a papal letter...
, and sister of Guy IV of Spoleto
Guy IV of Spoleto
Guy IV was the Duke of Spoleto and Camerino from 889 and Prince of Benevento from 895. He was the son of Guy II of Spoleto....
. Guy, with the prince's aid, reconquered Benevento in 895, increasing the prestige of Guaimar, whom he offered to make regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
of Benevento. It is not certain whether Guaimar accepted, but he tried to assassinate the gastald
Gastald
A gastald was a Lombard official in charge of some portion of the royal demesne with civil, martial, and judicial powers. By the Edictum Rothari of 643, the gastalds were given the civil authority in the cities and the reeves the like authority in the countryside...
of Avellino
Avellino
Avellino is a town and comune, capital of the province of Avellino in the Campania region of southern Italy. It is situated in a plain surrounded by mountains 42 km north-east of Naples and is an important hub on the road from Salerno to Benevento.-History:Before the Roman conquest, the...
, Adelferio, and was taken prisoner with his wife whatever the case. Guy had to come down and besiege the town to rescue him. He returned to Salerno disgraced.
In 893, Guaimar had made his son, also Guaimar
Guaimar II of Salerno
Guaimar II was the Lombard prince of Salerno from 901, when his father retired to a monastery, to his death. His father was Guaimar I and his mother was Itta. He was associated with his father in the principality from 893...
, co-prince, and it was he who ruled Salerno in the elder Guaimar's absence. Upon the elder prince's return, a Neapolitan faction in the city, supported by Athanasius, revolted, but the two Guaimars put it down and the elder, like his father before him, retired (or was forced by his son) to a monastery, San Massimo
San Massimo
San Massimo is a comune in the Province of Campobasso in the Italian region Molise, located about 25 km southwest of Campobasso...
, Guaifer's foundation, in 900 or 901, dying soon after. The chronicles of his reign describe him in despotic terms and he does not seem to have been popular, despite the later popularity of his name within the dynasty his father founded.