Romuald, Archbishop of Salerno
Encyclopedia
Romuald Guarna was the Archbishop of Salerno (as Romuald II) from 1153 to his death. He is remembered primarily for his Chronicon sive Annales, an important historical record of his time.
Romuald was a native of Salerno, born into the old Lombard
nobility. He studied as a youth in the Schola Medica Salernitana
, where he studied not only medicine (in which he taught Gilles de Corbeil
), but history, law, and theology. Romuald was raised to the Salernitan archbishopric after the death of William of Ravenna.
Romuald was a diplomat for the kings William I
and William II
. He negotiated the Treaty of Benevento
of 1156 and signed the Treaty of Venice
in 1177. Though he took part in the conspiracy against the Admiral
Maio of Bari
, he never fell out of favour and even performed the coronation of William II. Despite this, he exaggerates his own importance in his chronicle, which characteristically begins at creation and extends till 1178.
In 1160-1161, Romuald defended the city from the enraged William I, who was avenging the assassination of Maio. With the help of Salernitans at court and their connections to the king's intimates, the city was spared. In 1167, as the highest-ranking prelate in the realm, he crowned William II as king in the Cathedral of Palermo
.
In 1179, Romuald intervened in a council condemning the Albigensians. He was succeeded by Nicholas of Ajello.
Romuald was a native of Salerno, born into the old 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...
nobility. He studied as a youth in the Schola Medica Salernitana
Schola Medica Salernitana
The Schola Medica Salernitana was the first medieval medical school in the cosmopolitan coastal south Italian city of Salerno, which provided the most important source of medical knowledge in Western Europe at the time...
, where he studied not only medicine (in which he taught Gilles de Corbeil
Gilles de Corbeil
Gilles de Corbeil was a French royal physician, teacher, and poet. He was born in approximately 1140 and died in the first quarter of the 13th century...
), but history, law, and theology. Romuald was raised to the Salernitan archbishopric after the death of William of Ravenna.
Romuald was a diplomat for the kings William I
William I of Sicily
William I , called the Bad or the Wicked, was the second king of Sicily, ruling from his father's death in 1154 to his own...
and William II
William II of Sicily
William II , called the Good, was king of Sicily from 1166 to 1189. William's character is very indistinct. Lacking in military enterprise, secluded and pleasure-loving, he seldom emerged from his palace life at Palermo. Yet his reign is marked by an ambitious foreign policy and a vigorous diplomacy...
. He negotiated the Treaty of Benevento
Treaty of Benevento
The Treaty of Benevento was an important treaty between the papacy of Adrian IV and the Norman Kingdom of Sicily. After years of turbulent relations, the popes finally settled down to a peace with the Hauteville kings....
of 1156 and signed the Treaty of Venice
Treaty of Venice
The Treaty or Peace of Venice, 1177, was an important peace treaty between the papacy and its allies, the north Italian city-states of the Lombard League, and Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor...
in 1177. Though he took part in the conspiracy against the Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Maio of Bari
Maio of Bari
Maio of Bari , a Lombard merchant's son from Bari, was the third of the great admirals of Sicily. An ammiratus ammiratorum, or "Emir of Emirs," he was the most important man in the kingdom save the king himself. After the deposition and execution of Philip of Mahdia , the admiralcy was vacant for...
, he never fell out of favour and even performed the coronation of William II. Despite this, he exaggerates his own importance in his chronicle, which characteristically begins at creation and extends till 1178.
In 1160-1161, Romuald defended the city from the enraged William I, who was avenging the assassination of Maio. With the help of Salernitans at court and their connections to the king's intimates, the city was spared. In 1167, as the highest-ranking prelate in the realm, he crowned William II as king in the Cathedral of Palermo
Cathedral of Palermo
The Cathedral of Palermo is an architectural complex in Palermo, Sicily, southern Italy. It is characterized by the presence of different styles, due to a long history of additions, alterations and restorations, the last of which occurred in the 18th century....
.
In 1179, Romuald intervened in a council condemning the Albigensians. He was succeeded by Nicholas of Ajello.
Sources
- Matthew, D. J. A. "The Chronicle of Romuald of Salerno". The Writing of History in the Middle Ages: Essays presented to Richard William Southern. R. H. C. Davis and J. M. Wallace-Hadrill, edd. Oxford: 1981.
- Norwich, John JuliusJohn Julius NorwichJohn Julius Cooper, 2nd Viscount Norwich CVO — known as John Julius Norwich — is an English historian, travel writer and television personality.-Early life:...
. The Kingdom in the Sun 1130-1194. London: Longman, 1970.