Battle of Coronate
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Coronate took place in 689, after King Cunicpert returned from exile and ousted Alahis
, Usurper King
and Duke of Trent, from the capital Pavia
.
Duke Alahis
, fled towards the east, into Austria
. There he asssembled an army to march against the king. Within the same year, Alahis
crossed the River Adda
, the border between Neustria
and Austria
, and faced Cunincpert in the plain of Coronate
.
Wishing to spare the Lombard
blood of so many, Cunincpert offered Alahis
, to engage him in single combat. But Alahis
refused and both camps prepared for battle. Fearing for Cunincperts life, a deacon
named Seno begged the king to lend him his armor, so that he, the deacon
, appeared to be the king and distract all troubles from Cunincpert. Finally, Cunincpert agreed to that plan and battle was joined.
Once Alahis
spotted the supposed king, he charged and killed him. When Alahis
was about to take off the helmet, and present to his troops the dead king, he realised that he had only slain a cleric. In fury, Alahis
swore a horrible oath, as Paul the Deacon
recorded: Cunincperts men were horrorfied by the news that the King had been killed. But Cunincpert assured them all that he was alive and well. Again the two hosts drew together for the battle, and again Cunincpert renewed his offer to settle the quarrel by single combat and spare the lives of the people. But Alahis
again refused to accept the challenge, this time alleging that he saw among the standards of his rival the image of the Archangel Michael.
The trumpets sounded again for the charge, neither side gave way to the other, a terrible slaughter was made of Lombard warriors. But at length Alahis
fell, and the victory remained with King Cunincpert. Great was the slaughter among the fleeing troops of Alahis
, and those who were not killed by the sword, drowned in the River Adda
.
The head and legs of Alahis
were cut off, leaving only his trunk. The body of the brave deacon
Seno, however, was buried by the king’s order before the gates of the church of St. John. Cunincpert returned to Pavia
in great triumph and in aftertime he reared a monastery in honor of St. George the Martyr on the battlefield of Coronate
in memory of his victory.
Alahis
Alahis was the Arian duke of Trent and Brescia before becoming king of the Lombards after his successful rebellion in 688. He did not rule long, however....
, Usurper King
Usurper
Usurper is a derogatory term used to describe either an illegitimate or controversial claimant to the power; often, but not always in a monarchy, or a person who succeeds in establishing himself as a monarch without inheriting the throne, or any other person exercising authority unconstitutionally...
and Duke of Trent, from the capital Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
.
Duke Alahis
Alahis
Alahis was the Arian duke of Trent and Brescia before becoming king of the Lombards after his successful rebellion in 688. He did not rule long, however....
, fled towards the east, into Austria
Kingdom of the Lombards
The Kingdom of the Lombards or Lombard Kingdom was an early medieval state, with its capital in Pavia, established by the Lombards on the Italian Peninsula between 568-569 and 774 .Effective control by the rulers of both the major areas that constituted the...
. There he asssembled an army to march against the king. Within the same year, Alahis
Alahis
Alahis was the Arian duke of Trent and Brescia before becoming king of the Lombards after his successful rebellion in 688. He did not rule long, however....
crossed the River Adda
River Adda
The River Adda is a small watercourse which flows, for the most part culverted, through the city of Bangor, Wales. The name is said to be of 19th century origin, deriving from a field Cae Mab Adda close to its source. Its earlier name was Tarannon. -External links:*...
, the border between Neustria
Kingdom of the Lombards
The Kingdom of the Lombards or Lombard Kingdom was an early medieval state, with its capital in Pavia, established by the Lombards on the Italian Peninsula between 568-569 and 774 .Effective control by the rulers of both the major areas that constituted the...
and Austria
Kingdom of the Lombards
The Kingdom of the Lombards or Lombard Kingdom was an early medieval state, with its capital in Pavia, established by the Lombards on the Italian Peninsula between 568-569 and 774 .Effective control by the rulers of both the major areas that constituted the...
, and faced Cunincpert in the plain of Coronate
Cornate d'Adda
Cornate d'Adda is a comune in the Province of Monza and Brianza in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 30 km northeast of Milan and 20 km from Monza.-External links:*...
.
Wishing to spare 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...
blood of so many, Cunincpert offered Alahis
Alahis
Alahis was the Arian duke of Trent and Brescia before becoming king of the Lombards after his successful rebellion in 688. He did not rule long, however....
, to engage him in single combat. But Alahis
Alahis
Alahis was the Arian duke of Trent and Brescia before becoming king of the Lombards after his successful rebellion in 688. He did not rule long, however....
refused and both camps prepared for battle. Fearing for Cunincperts life, a deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
named Seno begged the king to lend him his armor, so that he, the deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
, appeared to be the king and distract all troubles from Cunincpert. Finally, Cunincpert agreed to that plan and battle was joined.
Once Alahis
Alahis
Alahis was the Arian duke of Trent and Brescia before becoming king of the Lombards after his successful rebellion in 688. He did not rule long, however....
spotted the supposed king, he charged and killed him. When Alahis
Alahis
Alahis was the Arian duke of Trent and Brescia before becoming king of the Lombards after his successful rebellion in 688. He did not rule long, however....
was about to take off the helmet, and present to his troops the dead king, he realised that he had only slain a cleric. In fury, Alahis
Alahis
Alahis was the Arian duke of Trent and Brescia before becoming king of the Lombards after his successful rebellion in 688. He did not rule long, however....
swore a horrible oath, as Paul the Deacon
Paul the Deacon
Paul the Deacon , also known as Paulus Diaconus, Warnefred, Barnefridus and Cassinensis, , was a Benedictine monk and historian of the Lombards.-Life:...
recorded: Cunincperts men were horrorfied by the news that the King had been killed. But Cunincpert assured them all that he was alive and well. Again the two hosts drew together for the battle, and again Cunincpert renewed his offer to settle the quarrel by single combat and spare the lives of the people. But Alahis
Alahis
Alahis was the Arian duke of Trent and Brescia before becoming king of the Lombards after his successful rebellion in 688. He did not rule long, however....
again refused to accept the challenge, this time alleging that he saw among the standards of his rival the image of the Archangel Michael.
The trumpets sounded again for the charge, neither side gave way to the other, a terrible slaughter was made of Lombard warriors. But at length Alahis
Alahis
Alahis was the Arian duke of Trent and Brescia before becoming king of the Lombards after his successful rebellion in 688. He did not rule long, however....
fell, and the victory remained with King Cunincpert. Great was the slaughter among the fleeing troops of Alahis
Alahis
Alahis was the Arian duke of Trent and Brescia before becoming king of the Lombards after his successful rebellion in 688. He did not rule long, however....
, and those who were not killed by the sword, drowned in the River Adda
River Adda
The River Adda is a small watercourse which flows, for the most part culverted, through the city of Bangor, Wales. The name is said to be of 19th century origin, deriving from a field Cae Mab Adda close to its source. Its earlier name was Tarannon. -External links:*...
.
The head and legs of Alahis
Alahis
Alahis was the Arian duke of Trent and Brescia before becoming king of the Lombards after his successful rebellion in 688. He did not rule long, however....
were cut off, leaving only his trunk. The body of the brave deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
Seno, however, was buried by the king’s order before the gates of the church of St. John. Cunincpert returned to Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
in great triumph and in aftertime he reared a monastery in honor of St. George the Martyr on the battlefield of Coronate
Cornate d'Adda
Cornate d'Adda is a comune in the Province of Monza and Brianza in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 30 km northeast of Milan and 20 km from Monza.-External links:*...
in memory of his victory.