Treaty of Benevento
Encyclopedia
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.
In 1156, events transpired to leave the pope alone in opposition to the Normans. The army of Michael Palaeologus
had been annihilated, the army of Frederick Barbarossa had returned to Germany
, and the internal rebels against royal authority in Apulia
, men like Robert II of Capua
or Richard II of Aquila
, had either reconciled or been imprisoned. In short, the pope had no support to continue hostilities. He was also barred from Rome
by the populace. He was staying at Benevento
, which had been papal territory for over a century. The Sicilian army approached Benevento and the pope was forced to make terms.
The papal chancellor
, Roland of Siena
, later Pope Alexander III, and the Roman nobleman Oddone Frangipane
were sent forth to negotiate. William of Tyre
suggests that the city was besieged, but eyewitnesses contradict him. King William I of Sicily
sent his own ammiratus ammiratorum
, Maio of Bari
, and his two primatial ecclesiastics, Hugh of Palermo
and Romuald of Salerno. Starting with the upper hand, the Sicilian envoys finalised a deal on 18 June. This deal was the Treaty of Benevento.
One of the chief authors of the treaty as it stands was a young notary named Matthew of Ajello
, later of much fame in Sicily. The kingship of William was recognised over all Sicily, Apulia, Calabria
, and Campania
, as well as Capua
, the coastal cities of Amalfi
, Naples
, and Gaeta
, and the newly-conquered territories in Central Italy
: Marche
and the Abruzzi, which Roger
and Alfonso
, William's elder brothers, had claimed before. The tribute to the pope of 600 schifati agreed upon by Roger II in 1139 at Mignano
was affirmed and another 400 schifati was added for the new lands.
The pope's right to send legates into the peninsular realm was accepted, but the legateship of the king in Sicily was affirmed and the pope had to resign much claimed authority over the island. In the church of S. Marciano, William was invested by the pope with first Sicily, then Apulia, and finally Capua. He received the Kiss of Peace and bestowed on the pope gifts of gold and silver.
The original manuscript of the treaty is in the Vatican Secret Archives
.
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...
Kingdom of Sicily
Kingdom of Sicily
The Kingdom of Sicily was a state that existed in the south of Italy from its founding by Roger II in 1130 until 1816. It was a successor state of the County of Sicily, which had been founded in 1071 during the Norman conquest of southern Italy...
. After years of turbulent relations, the popes finally settled down to a peace with the Hauteville kings.
In 1156, events transpired to leave the pope alone in opposition to the Normans. The army of Michael Palaeologus
Michael Palaeologus (general)
Michael Palaiologos was an early member of the great family of the Palaiologoi, which later ruled the Byzantine Empire. He was a general of the emperor Manuel I Komnenos ....
had been annihilated, the army of Frederick Barbarossa had returned to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and the internal rebels against royal authority in Apulia
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
, men like Robert II of Capua
Robert II of Capua
Robert II was the count of Aversa and the prince of Capua from 1127 until his death .He was the only son and successor of Jordan II of Capua...
or Richard II of Aquila
Richard II of Aquila
Richard II of Aquila was an Italo-Norman nobleman and count of Fondi. He was descended from a prominent Norman family from L'Aigle . He was one of the premier rebels against William I of Sicily during the first years of his reign...
, had either reconciled or been imprisoned. In short, the pope had no support to continue hostilities. He was also barred from Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
by the populace. He was staying at Benevento
Benevento
Benevento is a town and comune of Campania, Italy, capital of the province of Benevento, 50 km northeast of Naples. It is situated on a hill 130 m above sea-level at the confluence of the Calore Irpino and Sabato...
, which had been papal territory for over a century. The Sicilian army approached Benevento and the pope was forced to make terms.
The papal chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
, Roland of Siena
Pope Alexander III
Pope Alexander III , born Rolando of Siena, was Pope from 1159 to 1181. He is noted in history for laying the foundation stone for the Notre Dame de Paris.-Church career:...
, later Pope Alexander III, and the Roman nobleman Oddone Frangipane
Oddone Frangipane
Oddone Frangipane was the son of Leo and grandson of Cencio II of the Frangipani family. He had another brother named Cencio. During the middle of the twelfth century, he was the most influential aristocrat in Rome. His career began sometime around 1130...
were sent forth to negotiate. William of Tyre
William of Tyre
William of Tyre was a medieval prelate and chronicler. As archbishop of Tyre, he is sometimes known as William II to distinguish him from a predecessor, William of Malines...
suggests that the city was besieged, but eyewitnesses contradict him. King William I of Sicily
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...
sent his own ammiratus ammiratorum
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...
, and his two primatial ecclesiastics, Hugh of Palermo
Hugh, Archbishop of Palermo
Hugh was an archbishop of Palermo. He was given the pallium by Pope Eugene III in 1150, but was denied the metropolitan authority previously granted by the Antipope Anacletus II....
and Romuald of Salerno. Starting with the upper hand, the Sicilian envoys finalised a deal on 18 June. This deal was the Treaty of Benevento.
One of the chief authors of the treaty as it stands was a young notary named Matthew of Ajello
Matthew of Ajello
Matthew of Ajello was a high-ranking member of the Norman court of the Kingdom of Sicily in the 12th century.He first appears as the notary of the Admiral Maio of Bari who drew up the Treaty of Benevento of 1156...
, later of much fame in Sicily. The kingship of William was recognised over all Sicily, Apulia, Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
, and Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
, as well as Capua
Capua
Capua is a city and comune in the province of Caserta, Campania, southern Italy, situated 25 km north of Naples, on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. Ancient Capua was situated where Santa Maria Capua Vetere is now...
, the coastal cities of 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...
, 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...
, and 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....
, and the newly-conquered territories in 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...
: Marche
Marche
The population density in the region is below the national average. In 2008, it was 161.5 inhabitants per km2, compared to the national figure of 198.8. It is highest in the province of Ancona , and lowest in the province of Macerata...
and the Abruzzi, which Roger
Roger III, Duke of Apulia
Roger III was the Norman duke of Apulia from 1135. He was the eldest son of King Roger II of Sicily and Elvira of Castile....
and Alfonso
Alfonso of Hauteville
Alfonso of Hauteville , third son of Roger II of Sicily and Elvira of Castile, was the prince of Capua from 1135 to his death.He was named after his maternal grandfather, Alfonso VI of Castile...
, William's elder brothers, had claimed before. The tribute to the pope of 600 schifati agreed upon by Roger II in 1139 at Mignano
Treaty of Mignano
The Treaty of Mignano of 1139 was the treaty which ended more than a decade of constant war in the Italian Mezzogiorno following the union of the mainland duchy of Apulia and Calabria with the County of Sicily in 1127...
was affirmed and another 400 schifati was added for the new lands.
The pope's right to send legates into the peninsular realm was accepted, but the legateship of the king in Sicily was affirmed and the pope had to resign much claimed authority over the island. In the church of S. Marciano, William was invested by the pope with first Sicily, then Apulia, and finally Capua. He received the Kiss of Peace and bestowed on the pope gifts of gold and silver.
The original manuscript of the treaty is in the Vatican Secret Archives
Vatican Secret Archives
The Vatican Secret Archives , located in Vatican City, is the central repository for all of the acts promulgated by the Holy See. The Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, having primal incumbency until death, owns the archives until the next appointed Papal successor...
.
Sources
- 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. Longman: LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 1970.