John II of Amalfi
Encyclopedia
John II was the duke of Amalfi from 1029 to 1069 with multiple interruptions. He was the son of Sergius II
and Maria, sister of Pandulf IV of Capua
. He was the last significant duke of Amalfi before the Norman
conquest of 1073.
In 1014, he was named as co-regent and successor to his father. In 1028, he and his father fled to Constantinople
while Maria and her younger son, Manso II
, John's brother, usurped power at the instigation of her brother Pandulf. In 1029, John, but not Sergius, returned and reasserted his authority, deposing his mother and brother.
In 1031, John named his son Sergius III
co-regent and successor and he received the title of patrikios from the Byzantine emperor, as his father had in 1010. In April or May 1034, John was forced to flee Amalfi
again, this time because Pandulf had conquered Gaeta
(1032) and was threatening the remaining coastal cities, including Naples
, to which John fled, for Duke Sergius IV of Naples
was likewise sheltering the deposed John V of Gaeta
. Pandulf married off John's sister to Ranulf Drengot, the Norman mercenary who had recently been widowered by the duke of Naples' sister. Thus, Pandulf used his niece and his sister to seize power in Amalfi and draw his Norman supporters away from Sergius of Naples.
In 1038, the Holy Roman
Emperor Conrad II deposed Pandulf and John was able to return to Amalfi. He blinded his brother Manso and exiled him to the island of Sirenuse
, while reconciling with his mother, whom he allowed to co-reign. In April 1039, threatened by Guaimar IV of Salerno
, he fled with his son to Greece. He worked for his own restitution and fomented a rebellion that expelled his brother from Amalfi in April 1052. The Amalfitans refused to pay their taxes and war broke out. Guaimar was assassinated in June at the Amalfitans' instigation and John could return to his duchy in October. He again exiled his brother Manso and Manso's son Guaimar
, who had been ruling under Salernitan tutelage. During his stay in Constantinople, he was granted the Byzantine titles of anthypatos
and vestes
.
By stirring up rebellion in Amalfi and Salerno against Guaimar, he earned the wrath of Guaimar's son and successor, Gisulf II
. He had to deal with Gisulf's mistreatment of Amalfitan traders and constant warmaking. Eventually, the two made peace. In 1055, John promulgated a charta iudicii, the only one of its kind in the history of Amalfi. The rest of his reign was peacefully uneventful. He died in 1069 and was succeeded by his son Sergius.
Sergius II of Amalfi
Sergius II was the Patrician and Duke of Amalfi, the son and successor of John I, who co-reigned with his father until the latter's death in 1007....
and Maria, sister of Pandulf IV of Capua
Pandulf IV of Capua
Pandulf IV was the Prince of Capua on three separate occasions.From February 1016 to 1022 he ruled in association with his cousin Pandulf II. In 1018, the Byzantine catapan Boiannes destroyed the Lombard army of Melus of Bari and his Norman allies at Cannae...
. He was the last significant duke of Amalfi before the Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
conquest of 1073.
In 1014, he was named as co-regent and successor to his father. In 1028, he and his father fled 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:...
while Maria and her younger son, Manso II
Manso II of Amalfi
Manso II the Blind was the duke of Amalfi on three separate occasions: from 1028 to 1029, from 1034 to 1038, and from 1043 to 1052. He was the second son of Sergius II and Maria, sister of Pandulf IV of Capua. His whole ducal career consisted of wars with his brother, John II, over the throne. The...
, John's brother, usurped power at the instigation of her brother Pandulf. In 1029, John, but not Sergius, returned and reasserted his authority, deposing his mother and brother.
In 1031, John named his son Sergius III
Sergius III of Amalfi
Sergius III was the duke of Amalfi from 1069, when he succeeded his father John II, until his death. He was first appointed co-regent by his father in 1031...
co-regent and successor and he received the title of patrikios from the Byzantine emperor, as his father had in 1010. In April or May 1034, John was forced to flee Amalfi
Amalfi
Amalfi is a town and comune in the province of Salerno, in the region of Campania, Italy, on the Gulf of Salerno, c. 35 km southeast of Naples. It lies at the mouth of a deep ravine, at the foot of Monte Cerreto , surrounded by dramatic cliffs and coastal scenery...
again, this time because Pandulf had conquered Gaeta
Gaeta
Gaeta is a city and comune in the province of Latina, in Lazio, central Italy. Set on a promontory stretching towards the Gulf of Gaeta, it is 120 km from Rome and 80 km from Naples....
(1032) and was threatening the remaining coastal cities, including Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, to which John fled, for Duke Sergius IV of Naples
Sergius IV of Naples
Sergius IV was Duke of Naples from 1002 to 1036. He was one of the prime catalysts in the growth of Norman power in the Mezzogiorno in the first half of the eleventh century...
was likewise sheltering the deposed John V of Gaeta
John V of Gaeta
John V was the consul and duke of Gaeta from 1012 to 1032. He was the son of John IV and Sichelgaita, sister of Sergius IV of Naples. He was either very young when he succeeded his father or perhaps he was even born posthumously.His regency was disputed by Leo, his father's brother, and the...
. Pandulf married off John's sister to Ranulf Drengot, the Norman mercenary who had recently been widowered by the duke of Naples' sister. Thus, Pandulf used his niece and his sister to seize power in Amalfi and draw his Norman supporters away from Sergius of Naples.
In 1038, the Holy Roman
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
Emperor Conrad II deposed Pandulf and John was able to return to Amalfi. He blinded his brother Manso and exiled him to the island of Sirenuse
Sirenuse
The Sirenusas , also known as the Gallos , are an archipelago of little islands off the Amalfi Coast of Italy near Positano and the Isle of Capri. The name, Sirenuse, is a reference to the mythological sirens said to have lived there...
, while reconciling with his mother, whom he allowed to co-reign. In April 1039, threatened by Guaimar IV of Salerno
Guaimar IV of Salerno
Guaimar IV was Prince of Salerno , Duke of Amalfi , Duke of Gaeta , and Prince of Capua in Southern Italy over the period from 1027 to 1052. He was an important figure in the final phase of Byzantine authority in the Mezzogiorno and the commencement of Norman power...
, he fled with his son to Greece. He worked for his own restitution and fomented a rebellion that expelled his brother from Amalfi in April 1052. The Amalfitans refused to pay their taxes and war broke out. Guaimar was assassinated in June at the Amalfitans' instigation and John could return to his duchy in October. He again exiled his brother Manso and Manso's son Guaimar
Guaimar II of Amalfi
Guaimar II was the duke of Amalfi, ruling alongside his father, Manso II, and under the suzerainty of his namesake, Guaimar IV of Salerno, from 1047, when his father first associated him, to his and his father's deposition in 1052 by his uncle, John II, after the assassination of the prince of...
, who had been ruling under Salernitan tutelage. During his stay in Constantinople, he was granted the Byzantine titles of anthypatos
Anthypatos
Anthypatos is the translation in Greek of the Latin proconsul. In the Greek-speaking East, it was used to denote this office in Roman and early Byzantine times, surviving as an administrative office until the 9th century...
and vestes
Byzantine aristocracy and bureaucracy
The Byzantine Empire had a complex system of aristocracy and bureaucracy, which was inherited from the Roman Empire. At the apex of the pyramid stood the Emperor, sole ruler and divinely ordained, but beneath him a multitude of officials and court functionaries operated the administrative...
.
By stirring up rebellion in Amalfi and Salerno against Guaimar, he earned the wrath of Guaimar's son and successor, Gisulf II
Gisulf II of Salerno
Gisulf II was the last Lombard prince of Salerno ....
. He had to deal with Gisulf's mistreatment of Amalfitan traders and constant warmaking. Eventually, the two made peace. In 1055, John promulgated a charta iudicii, the only one of its kind in the history of Amalfi. The rest of his reign was peacefully uneventful. He died in 1069 and was succeeded by his son Sergius.