List of Dukes of Spoleto
Encyclopedia
The dukes of Spoleto were rulers of Spoleto
and most of central Italy
outside the Papal States
during the Early
and High Middle Ages
(c. 500
– 1300). The first dukes were appointed by the Lombard
king, but they were independent in practice. The Carolingian
conquerors of the Lombards continued to appoint dukes as did their successor to the Holy Roman Empire
. In the 12th century, the dukes of Spoleto were far and away the most important imperial vassals in Italy.
They usually bore the title dux
et marchio
, "duke and margrave" as rulers of both Spoleto
and Camerino
.
Duchy of Spoleto
The independent Duchy of Spoleto was a Lombard territory founded about 570 in central Italy by the Lombard dux Faroald.- Lombards :The Lombards, a Germanic people, had invaded Italy in 568 and conquered much of it, establishing a Kingdom divided between several dukes dependent on the King, who had...
and most of central Italy
Central Italy
Central Italy is one of the five official statistical regions of Italy used by the National Institute of Statistics , a first level NUTS region and a European Parliament constituency...
outside the Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
during the Early
Early Middle Ages
The Early Middle Ages was the period of European history lasting from the 5th century to approximately 1000. The Early Middle Ages followed the decline of the Western Roman Empire and preceded the High Middle Ages...
and High Middle Ages
High Middle Ages
The High Middle Ages was the period of European history around the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries . The High Middle Ages were preceded by the Early Middle Ages and followed by the Late Middle Ages, which by convention end around 1500....
(c. 500
500
Year 500 was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Patricius and Hypatius...
– 1300). The first dukes were appointed by the Lombard
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
king, but they were independent in practice. The Carolingian
Carolingian
The Carolingian dynasty was a Frankish noble family with origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The name "Carolingian", Medieval Latin karolingi, an altered form of an unattested Old High German *karling, kerling The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the...
conquerors of the Lombards continued to appoint dukes as did their successor to the Holy Roman Empire
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...
. In the 12th century, the dukes of Spoleto were far and away the most important imperial vassals in Italy.
They usually bore the title dux
Dux
Dux is Latin for leader and later for Duke and its variant forms ....
et marchio
Margrave
A margrave or margravine was a medieval hereditary nobleman with military responsibilities in a border province of a kingdom. Border provinces usually had more exposure to military incursions from the outside, compared to interior provinces, and thus a margrave usually had larger and more active...
, "duke and margrave" as rulers of both Spoleto
Spoleto
Spoleto is an ancient city in the Italian province of Perugia in east central Umbria on a foothill of the Apennines. It is S. of Trevi, N. of Terni, SE of Perugia; SE of Florence; and N of Rome.-History:...
and Camerino
Camerino
Camerino is a small town of 7.135 inhabitants in the Marches , in the province of Macerata, Italy. It is located in the Apennines bordering Umbria, between the valleys of the rivers Potenza and Chienti, about 40 miles from Ancona....
.
Lombard supremacy
- Faroald IFaroald I of SpoletoFaroald I was the first Duke of Spoleto, which he established during the decade of interregnum that followed the death of Alboin's successor . He led the Lombards into the centre of the Italian peninsula while Zotto led them into the south.In 579, he sacked Classis, the harbour of Ravenna...
570-592 - AriulfAriulf of SpoletoAriulf was the second Duke of Spoleto from 592 to his own death.In 592, Ariulf, whose position at Spoleto and control of key points along the Via Flaminia, the key communication between Ravenna and Rome, to cut its alternative, the fortified Via Amerina, and capture several Byzantine cities...
592-602 - TheodelapTheodelap of SpoletoTheodelap was one of the sons of Faroald, the first Duke of Spoleto. After the death, in 601 or 602, of Ariulf, Theodelap and his brother fought for the throne and, after his victory, Theodelap was crowned duke. He held the dukedom for more than half a century, until his death...
602-650 - AttoAtto of SpoletoAtto was the Duke of Spoleto from 653 to 663, the successor of Theodelap.Nothing is known of his reign except that he was replaced by Thrasimund, Count of Capua.-Sources:*Paul the Deacon. ....
650-665 - Thrasimund IThrasimund I of SpoletoThrasimund I or Transamund I was the Count of Capua and then Duke of Spoleto , a faithful follower of Grimoald I of Benevento....
665-703 - Faroald IIFaroald II of SpoletoFaroald II was the duke of Spoleto from 703, when he succeeded his own father Thrasimund I.Faroald attacked and took Classis, the port of Ravenna, but he was ordered to return it by King Liutprand. Faroald also founded and endowed the monastery of San Pietro in Valle at Ferentillo...
703-724 - Thrasimund IIThrasimund II of SpoletoThrasimund II or Transamund II was the Lombard Duke of Spoleto from 724 to 745, though he was twice driven from power by the king, Liutprand. Transamund rose to power by deposing his own father, Faroald II, and tonsuring him in a monastery....
724-739, first time - HildericHilderic of SpoletoHilderic was the Lombard Duke of Spoleto briefly from 739 to 740. He was the first appointee of Liutprand, King of the Lombards, against the rebellious Thrasimund II....
739-740 - Thrasimund IIThrasimund II of SpoletoThrasimund II or Transamund II was the Lombard Duke of Spoleto from 724 to 745, though he was twice driven from power by the king, Liutprand. Transamund rose to power by deposing his own father, Faroald II, and tonsuring him in a monastery....
740-742, second time - AgiprandAgiprand of SpoletoAgiprand was briefly the Duke of Spoleto between 742 and 744.In late 741, Thrasimund II refused to return to Pope Gregory III those cities he had promised him and Gregory's successor, Zachary, turned for support to King Liutprand...
742-744 - Thrasimund IIThrasimund II of SpoletoThrasimund II or Transamund II was the Lombard Duke of Spoleto from 724 to 745, though he was twice driven from power by the king, Liutprand. Transamund rose to power by deposing his own father, Faroald II, and tonsuring him in a monastery....
744-745, third time - LupusLupus of SpoletoLupus ruled the Duchy of Spoleto from 745 to 752 relatively independent of royal authority in the reigns following the that of Liutprand.He made many donations to the Abbey of Farfa and had a close relationship with Abbot Fulcoald. On his death, the duchy was probably seized by Aistulf and then...
745-752 - UnnolfUnulf of SpoletoUnulf was possible a Duke of Spoleto briefly in 752. He is recorded to have reigned for a few years, but this is uncertain. Aistulf, the king, took the duchy into his hands sometime after the death of Lupus.-Sources:*Hodgkin, Thomas. Italy and Her Invaders. Clarendon Press: 1895.*Sansi, A...
752 - AistulfAistulfAistulf was the Duke of Friuli from 744, King of Lombards from 749, and Duke of Spoleto from 751. His father was the Duke Pemmo.After his brother Ratchis became king, Aistulf succeeded him in Friuli. He succeeded him later as king when Ratchis abdicated to a monastery...
752-756 - RatchisRatchisRatchis was the Duke of Friuli and King of the Lombards . His father was Duke Pemmo. His Roman wife was Tassia. He ruled in peace until he besieged, for reasons unknown, Perugia. Pope Zachary convinced him to lift the siege and he abdicated and entered, with his family, the abbey of Montecassino...
756-757 - AlboinAlboin of SpoletoAlboin was the Lombard Duke of Spoleto from 757 to 758. He was chosen to be duke by the Spoletan nobility without the assent of the king.While Pope Stephen II was working to give the kingdom into the hands of Desiderius, he also worked to give the homage of the Duchies of Benevento and Spoleto to...
757-759 - DesideriusDesideriusDesiderius was the last king of the Lombard Kingdom of northern Italy...
758-759 - GisulfGisulf of SpoletoGisulf was the Duke of Spoleto from 759 to 761.In 758, Desiderius, after putting down a revolt of the Duke Alboin, took control of the Duchy of Spoleto until April of the next year, when he appointed Gisulf to govern the duchy in his name. Gisulf reigned until 761, when he died or was deposed...
758-763 - TheodiciusTheodicius of SpoletoTheodicius was the Duke of Spoleto from 763 to 773. Though it is often stated that he died at the Siege of Pavia , he was still alive on 9 June 776, when Charlemagne confirmed the properties of the monastery of Farfa and Abbot Ingoald in the reign of his successor Hildeprand.-Sources:*Hodgkin,...
763-773 - HildeprandHildeprand of SpoletoHildeprand was the Duke of Spoleto from 774 to 789.When Theodicius of Spoleto died fighting at the Siege of Pavia in 774, the Lombards of the Duchy of Spoleto elected Hildeprand their duke and quickly submitted to the Franks. Hildeprand fled to Rome before the Frankish host and did homage to Pope...
774-788
Frankish supremacy
- WinigesWiniges of SpoletoWiniges was the Duke of Spoleto from 789 to his death. He was probably a Frank in the entourage of Charlemagne when he was sent in 788 to lead Hildeprand of Spoleto and Grimoald III of Benevento in cooperation with Frankish troops against a Byzantine invasion.In this, his first recorded action,...
789-822 - Suppo ISuppo ISuppo I was a Frankish nobleman who held lands in the Regnum Italicum in the early ninth century.In 817, he was made Count of Brescia, Parma, Piacenza, Modena, and Bergamo. He was also made a missus dominicus, along with the Brescian bishop Ratald, for Italy...
822-824 - AdelardAdelard of SpoletoAdelard, Adalhard, or Adalard was briefly the Duke of Spoleto from March to August 824. Before Spoleto, he was the count of the palace. He was appointed to succeed Suppo I, but he died in five months and was replaced by Suppo's son Mauring....
824 - MauringMauring, Duke of SpoletoMauring was a Frankish nobleman, the son of Suppo I of the Supponids. He succeeded his father in Brescia as count in 822 and, following the brief reign of Adelard, in Spoleto as duke in August 824...
824 - Adelchis IAdelchis I of SpoletoAdelchis I or Adelgis I was the Count of Parma by the 830s, of Cremona after 841, and eventually of Brescia. According to some sources, he succeeded to the Duchy of Spoleto in 824. He was a second son of Suppo I and father of Suppo II. His main area of interest was in the Aemilia and eastern...
824-834 - Lambert of NantesLambert I of NantesLambert I was the Count of Nantes and Prefect of the Breton March between 818 to 831 and Duke of Spoleto between 834 and 836. Lambert succeeded his father Guy....
834-836 - Berengar 836-841
- Vito I or Guy IGuy I of SpoletoGuy I was the Duke of Spoleto from 842. He was the son of Lambert I of Nantes and Adelaide of Lombardy, the eldest daughter of Pepin of Italy. He travelled with his father in 834 in the entourage of Lothair I. He was given the abbey of Mettlach in Lotharingia in 840, when the Emperor Louis the...
842-859 - Lambert ILambert I of SpoletoLambert I was the duke and margrave of Spoleto on two occasions, first from 859 to 871 and then from 876 to his death.Lambert was the eldest son of Guy I of Spoleto and Itta, daughter of Sico of Benevento...
859-871 - Suppo IISuppo II of SpoletoSuppo II was the Duke of Spoleto from 871 until his death. He was the archiminister and consiliarius of the Emperor Louis II...
871-876 - Lambert ILambert I of SpoletoLambert I was the duke and margrave of Spoleto on two occasions, first from 859 to 871 and then from 876 to his death.Lambert was the eldest son of Guy I of Spoleto and Itta, daughter of Sico of Benevento...
876-880 - Guy IIGuy II of SpoletoGuy 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...
880-883 - Guy IIIGuy III of SpoletoGuy of Spoleto , sometimes known by the Italian version of his name, Guido, or by the German version, Wido, was the Margrave of Camerino from 880 and then Duke of Spoleto and Camerino from 883. He was crowned King of Italy in 889 and Holy Roman Emperor in 891...
883-894 - Lambert IILambert II of SpoletoLambert II was the King of Italy from 891, Holy Roman Emperor, co-ruling with his father from 892, and Duke of Spoleto and Camerino from his father's death in 894. He was the son of Guy III of Spoleto and Ageltrude, born in San Rufino...
894-898 - Guy IVGuy IV of SpoletoGuy 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....
895-898 - Alberic IAlberic I of SpoletoAlberic I was the Lombard duke of Spoleto from between 896 and 900 until 920, 922, or thereabouts. He first appears as a page to Guy III of Spoleto at the Battle on the Trebbia in 889 He may have later been the count of Fermo or margrave of Camerino, but whatever the case, he succeeded to Spoleto...
898-922 - Boniface I 923-928
- Peter 924-928
- Theobald ITheobald I of SpoletoTheobald I was the Duke of Spoleto from 928 to his death. He was the son of Boniface II, former duke, and member of the line of the Hucpoldings, a house of Frankish Ripuarian origin that built its fortunes in Italy since the 9th century...
928-936 - Anscar 936-940
- Sarlione 940-943
- HubertHubert of SpoletoHubert or Humbert was the illegitimate son of Hugh of Italy and his concubine Wandelmoda. He was made Margrave of Tuscany by his father between 935 and 937, after the deposition of his uncle Boso...
943-946 - Boniface II 946-953
- Theobald IITheobald II of SpoletoTheobald II was the Duke of Spoleto and Margrave of Camerino from 953. He was the son of Boniface II of Spoleto and Waldrada. He married a woman also named Waldrada and was the father of Adalbert, Count of Bologna, and possibly of Willa, the wife of Tedald of Canossa.In 959, Berengar and Guy of...
953-959 - Thrasimund III 959-967
- Pandulf I 967-981
- LandulfLandulf IV of BeneventoLandulf IV was the prince of Capua and Benevento from 968, when he was associated with his father, Pandulf Ironhead, and prince of Salerno associated with his father from 977 or 978...
981-982 - Thrasimund IV 982-989
- Hugh I the Great 989-996 (also Margrave of Tuscany)
- Conrad 996-998
- AdhemarAdhemar of CapuaAdhemar was the Duke of Spoleto from 998 and Prince of Capua from 1000. Before his death, he lost both domains. He is not mentioned as duke of Spoleto after December 999.He was the son of Balsamo, a Capuan cleric...
998-999 - Romanus 1003-1010
- Rainier 1010-1020
- Hugh II 1020-1035
- Hugh III 1036-1043
Tuscan supremacy
- Boniface IIIBoniface 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...
1043-1052 (also Margrave of Tuscany) - 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....
1052-1055 (also Margrave of Tuscany)- Beatrice of BarBeatrice of BarBeatrice of Bar was the marchioness of Tuscany from 1053 to her death as the wife of Boniface III of Tuscany...
, 1052-1055 (regent as mother of Frederick and Mathilda) - Godfrey the Bearded, Duke of Lower LorraineGodfrey III, Duke of Lower LorraineGodfrey III , called the Bearded, was the eldest son of Gothelo I, duke of Upper and Lower Lorraine. By inheritance, he was count of Verdun and he became margrave of Antwerp as a vassal of the duke of Lower Lorraine...
, 1053-1055 (regent as husband of Beatrice and step-father to Frederick and Matilda)
- Beatrice of Bar
- to the papacy 1056-1057
- MatildaMatilda of TuscanyMatilda of Tuscany was an Italian noblewoman, the principal Italian supporter of Pope Gregory VII during the Investiture Controversy. She is one of the few medieval women to be remembered for her military accomplishments...
, 1057-1082 (also Margravine of Tuscany)- Godfrey the Bearded, Duke of Lower LorraineGodfrey III, Duke of Lower LorraineGodfrey III , called the Bearded, was the eldest son of Gothelo I, duke of Upper and Lower Lorraine. By inheritance, he was count of Verdun and he became margrave of Antwerp as a vassal of the duke of Lower Lorraine...
1057-1069 (also regent of Tuscany) - Godfrey the Hunchback, Duke of Lower LorraineGodfrey IV, Duke of Lower LorraineGodfrey IV , known as the Hunchback, was a son of Godfrey the Bearded, whom he succeeded as duke of Lower Lorraine in 1069. His mother was Doda and his sister was Ida....
, 1069-1076 (also regent of Tuscany)
- Godfrey the Bearded, Duke of Lower Lorraine
- Rainier II 1082-1086
- MatildaMatilda of TuscanyMatilda of Tuscany was an Italian noblewoman, the principal Italian supporter of Pope Gregory VII during the Investiture Controversy. She is one of the few medieval women to be remembered for her military accomplishments...
, 1086-1093 (also Margravine of Tuscany) - Werner IIWerner II of SpoletoWerner II was the margrave of Ancona and Duke of Spoleto from 1093 to 1119. He was the founder of the family of the Guarnieri of Urslingen.Werner was originally a Swabian count who was sent as captain of the German contingent of 700 infantry and cavalry by the Emperor Henry III to assist Pope Leo...
1093-1119 - Conrad von Scheiern, 1120-1127 (also Margrave of Tuscany)
- Engelbert III of Sponheim, 1135-1137 (also Margrave of Tuscany)
- Henry the Proud, Duke of BavariaHenry X, Duke of Bavariathumb|right|Henry X in a much later engraving.Henry the Proud was the Duke of Bavaria , Duke of Saxony , and Margrave of Tuscany .-Life and reign:...
, 1137-1139 (also Margrave of Tuscany) - Ulrich of Attems, 1139-1152 (imperial vicar of Tuscany and Spoleto)
- Welf VIWelf VIWelf VI was the margrave of Tuscany and duke of Spoleto , the third son of Henry IX, Duke of Bavaria, and a member of the illustrious Italo-German family of the Welf....
, 1152-1160 (also Margrave of Tuscany) - Welf VIIWelf VIIWelf VII was the only son of Welf VI, Duke of Spoleto and Margrave of Tuscany, and Uta, daughter of Godfrey of Calw, count palatine of the Rhine. He was a member of the House of Welf....
, 1160-1167 (also Margrave of Tuscany) - Welf VIWelf VIWelf VI was the margrave of Tuscany and duke of Spoleto , the third son of Henry IX, Duke of Bavaria, and a member of the illustrious Italo-German family of the Welf....
, 1167-1173 (also Margrave of Tuscany) - Ridelulf 1173-1183
- Conrad I 1183-1190, first time
- Pandulf II 1190-1195
- Conrad I 1195-1198, second time
- Matilda
Papal supremacy
- Henry 1205
- DiepoldDipold, Count of AcerraDipold , known in German as Diepold or Dietpold von Schweinspeunt or Schweinspünt, was a ministerialis who was raised to the Duchy of Spoleto in 1209. Of Bavarian origin, he was a reputed younger son of Berthold II of Vohburg and Adelaide of Ballenstedt. He was originally a vassal of the count of...
1209-1225 - RainaldRainald of UrslingenRainald of Urslingen was the son of Conrad of Urslingen and Duke of Spoleto from 1223 to 1230.Rainald was initially appointed by the Papacy to oppose Dipold, Count of Acerra, and in 1228 he was granted sweeping powers, which he did not hesitate to use, as apostolic legate in the March of Ancona...
1223-1230, first time - Conrad II 1227-1267
- Berthold 1251-1276
- Rainald 1251-1276, second time
- Blasco Fernández assasinated 1367
- Guidantonio I da Montefeltro 1419-1443
- Franceschetto CyboFranceschetto CyboFranceschetto Cybo was an Italian nobleman, the illegitimate son of Pope Innocent VIII ....
c. 1503-1519
Member of Italian royal family
- Prince Aimone Roberto Margherita Maria Giuseppe di Torino of SavoyTomislav II of Croatia, 4th Duke of AostaPrince Aimone of Savoy-Aosta, Duke of Aosta was an Italian prince from the House of Savoy and an officer of the Royal Italian Navy. The second son of Prince Emanuele Filiberto, Duke of Aosta he was granted the title Duke of Spoleto on 22 September 1904...
1904-1948