Benedetta of Cagliari
Encyclopedia
Benedetta was the daughter and heiress of William I of Cagliari
and Adelasia, daughter of Moroello Malaspina. She succeeded her father in January or February 1214.
She was consecrated in 1214 by Riccus, Archbishop of Cagliari
, in the presence of the higher clergy and the grandees. She swore an oath not to diminish the territory of the giudicato, nor to alienate its castles, nor to make foreign alliances without their consent. Then, on 14 June, she married Barisone III of Arborea, son of Peter I
, who was imprisoned by her father. He took the dynstic name "Torchitorio V" and they ruled their two giudicati jointly, each being cited in the acts of the other in their own giudicato. Then, Benedetta made homage to the Holy See
.
With Archbishop Riccus, the bishop of Sulcis
, and her husband, she made many donations to the churches of S. Giorgio di Suelle and the church of Sulcis. Benedetta favoured natives over Pisans for positions in her government and preferred to cultivate the economy of Sardinia than that of the Republic of Pisa
. In 1215, the wrath of Pisa fell on her.
In that year, Lambert Visconti, then judge of Gallura
, landed a large army near Cagliari
and took the dominating hilltop of S. Gilla, fortifying it. Benedetta was subsequently forced to flee her capital for the interior. In June 1216, she made a donation to the cathedral of Pisa in hopes of procuring their support, but in 1217, Lambert's brother, Ubald I Visconti
, forced her to accept terms surrendering Cagliari. She received the giudicato back as fief from the consul
of Pisa. However, violence between Sardinians and Pisans escalated in Cagliari and Benedetta and Barisone made an alliance with Comita III of Torres
and the Republic of Genoa
in hopes of expelling the Pisans.
In her opposition to Pisa, however, Benedetta found support in Pope Honorius III
. In February 1217, he annulled the election of the Pisan Marianus, then bishop of Suelli
, to the archdiocese of Cagliari. In his place he sent Ugolino dei Conti, Cardinal Bishop of Ostia and Apostolic Legate to Corsica
and Sardinia. He also urged Milan
to aid Marianus II of Torres
. In that spring, Barisone died and in 1218 Ubald arranged for his widow to contract a new marriage with the widowered Lambert, her one-time conqueror, in hopes of bringing peace to Cagliari. On 9 April 1220, the two were married, but the pope immediately pronounced his annulment.
In December 1224, Benedetta renewed the oath of homage to the Holy See to Goffredo, the papal legate. She agreed to pay an annual tribute of twenty lbs of silver to the Holy See
and not to contract any other marriage without papal approval and blessing. If she were to die without heirs, the pope would inherit Cagliari. The following years were ones of peace. In 1225-1226, Benedetta included her son William
in several donations to various churches. But in the latter year, war began anew with Lambert's heir, Ubald II
.
In the following years, in order to protect herself from Ubald, she married twice more, both times without papal permission. Her third husband (1227) was Enrico di Ceola, a Pisan of the Capraia family who soon gained papal favour. Her fourth husband was Rinaldo de Glandis and their marriage was declared valid. Nevertheless, violence in Cagliari forced her to move to the castle of Santa Igia
and then to Massa
, her ancestral home. There she died, late 1232 or early 1233. By February 1233, Pope Gregory IX
had given Massa and Potenzolo to Ugo di Procaria, while Cagliari was divied between the Visconti
, Capraia
, and Donoratico, Pisan families. Her heir was William. He reigned, but never ruled. Her sister Agnes and her husband, the aforementioned Marianus of Torres, held the regency.
William I of Cagliari
William I was the giudice of Cagliari from 1188 to his death.William was one of the greatest of medieval Sardinian giudici...
and Adelasia, daughter of Moroello Malaspina. She succeeded her father in January or February 1214.
She was consecrated in 1214 by Riccus, Archbishop of Cagliari
Riccus, Archbishop of Cagliari
Riccus or Ricco was the Archbishop of Cagliari in the early thirteenth century.In 1206, he requested the right to resign from Pope Innocent III, who simply enumerated the justifications for archiepiscopal resignation and left the decision up to Riccus...
, in the presence of the higher clergy and the grandees. She swore an oath not to diminish the territory of the giudicato, nor to alienate its castles, nor to make foreign alliances without their consent. Then, on 14 June, she married Barisone III of Arborea, son of Peter I
Peter I of Arborea
Peter I , of the Serra family, was the eldest son and successor of Barisone II of Arborea, reigning from 1186 to his death. His mother was Barisone's first wife, Pellegrina de Lacon...
, who was imprisoned by her father. He took the dynstic name "Torchitorio V" and they ruled their two giudicati jointly, each being cited in the acts of the other in their own giudicato. Then, Benedetta made homage to the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
.
With Archbishop Riccus, the bishop of Sulcis
Sulcis
Sulcis is the southwestern region of Sardinia, part of the larger Sulcis-Iglesiente region. It is named for the Phoenician city of Sulcis , present-day Sant'Antioco....
, and her husband, she made many donations to the churches of S. Giorgio di Suelle and the church of Sulcis. Benedetta favoured natives over Pisans for positions in her government and preferred to cultivate the economy of Sardinia than that of the Republic of Pisa
Republic of Pisa
The Republic of Pisa was a de facto independent state centered on the Tuscan city of Pisa during the late tenth and eleventh centuries. It rose to become an economic powerhouse, a commercial center whose merchants dominated Mediterranean and Italian trade for a century before being surpassed and...
. In 1215, the wrath of Pisa fell on her.
In that year, Lambert Visconti, then judge of Gallura
Giudice of Gallura
The giudici of Gallura were the local rulers of the northeast of Sardinia during the Middle Ages. Theirs was the closest giudicato to Corsica.*Manfred...
, landed a large army near Cagliari
Cagliari
Cagliari is the capital of the island of Sardinia, a region of Italy. Cagliari's Sardinian name Casteddu literally means castle. It has about 156,000 inhabitants, or about 480,000 including the outlying townships : Elmas, Assemini, Capoterra, Selargius, Sestu, Monserrato, Quartucciu, Quartu...
and took the dominating hilltop of S. Gilla, fortifying it. Benedetta was subsequently forced to flee her capital for the interior. In June 1216, she made a donation to the cathedral of Pisa in hopes of procuring their support, but in 1217, Lambert's brother, Ubald I Visconti
Ubaldo I Visconti
Ubaldo I Visconti was the de jure overlord of the Giudicato of Cagliari from 1217. He was a member of the Visconti family of Pisa, controlling Cagliari on behalf of his brother, who was judge jure uxoris from 1218....
, forced her to accept terms surrendering Cagliari. She received the giudicato back as fief from the consul
Consul
Consul was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. The title was also used in other city states and also revived in modern states, notably in the First French Republic...
of Pisa. However, violence between Sardinians and Pisans escalated in Cagliari and Benedetta and Barisone made an alliance with Comita III of Torres
Comita III of Torres
Comita III was the giudice of Logudoro, with its capital at Torres, from 1198 until 1218. He was the youngest of four sons of Barisone II of Torres and Preziosa de Orrubu...
and the Republic of Genoa
Republic of Genoa
The Most Serene Republic of Genoa |Ligurian]]: Repúbrica de Zêna) was an independent state from 1005 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast, as well as Corsica from 1347 to 1768, and numerous other territories throughout the Mediterranean....
in hopes of expelling the Pisans.
In her opposition to Pisa, however, Benedetta found support in Pope Honorius III
Pope Honorius III
Pope Honorius III , previously known as Cencio Savelli, was Pope from 1216 to 1227.-Early work:He was born in Rome as son of Aimerico...
. In February 1217, he annulled the election of the Pisan Marianus, then bishop of Suelli
Suelli
Suelli is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 40 km north of Cagliari. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,179 and an area of 19.2 km²....
, to the archdiocese of Cagliari. In his place he sent Ugolino dei Conti, Cardinal Bishop of Ostia and Apostolic Legate to Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
and Sardinia. He also urged Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
to aid Marianus II of Torres
Marianus II of Torres
Marianus II was the Judge of Logudoro from 1218 until his death. He was an ally of the Republic of Genoa and enemy of Pisa.He was a son of Comita III , who associated him with the government of Logudoro as early as 1203. He succeeded his father in 1218...
. In that spring, Barisone died and in 1218 Ubald arranged for his widow to contract a new marriage with the widowered Lambert, her one-time conqueror, in hopes of bringing peace to Cagliari. On 9 April 1220, the two were married, but the pope immediately pronounced his annulment.
In December 1224, Benedetta renewed the oath of homage to the Holy See to Goffredo, the papal legate. She agreed to pay an annual tribute of twenty lbs of silver to the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
and not to contract any other marriage without papal approval and blessing. If she were to die without heirs, the pope would inherit Cagliari. The following years were ones of peace. In 1225-1226, Benedetta included her son William
William II of Cagliari
William II Salusio V was the Judge of Cagliari from 1232 to his death. His Christian name was William, but his regnal name was Salusio, based on ancient Cagliaritan traditions which alternated their rulers between the forenames Torchitorio and Salusio...
in several donations to various churches. But in the latter year, war began anew with Lambert's heir, Ubald II
Ubaldo of Gallura
Ubaldo II Visconti, son of Lamberto di Eldizio and Elena de Lacon, was the Judge of Gallura from 1225 to his death in 1238. He ruled every giudicato on the island of Sardinia at one point or another save Arborea....
.
In the following years, in order to protect herself from Ubald, she married twice more, both times without papal permission. Her third husband (1227) was Enrico di Ceola, a Pisan of the Capraia family who soon gained papal favour. Her fourth husband was Rinaldo de Glandis and their marriage was declared valid. Nevertheless, violence in Cagliari forced her to move to the castle of Santa Igia
Santa Igia
Santa Igia was a city in Sardinia, in what is now Italy, which existed from the 9th century AD to 1258, when it was destroyed by the Pisane troops...
and then to Massa
Massa
Massa is a town and comune in Tuscany, central Italy, the administrative centre of the province of Massa-Carrara. It is located in the Frigido River Valley, near the Alpi Apuane, some 5 kilometers from the Tyrrhenian Sea....
, her ancestral home. There she died, late 1232 or early 1233. By February 1233, Pope Gregory IX
Pope Gregory IX
Pope Gregory IX, born Ugolino di Conti, was pope from March 19, 1227 to August 22, 1241.The successor of Pope Honorius III , he fully inherited the traditions of Pope Gregory VII and of his uncle Pope Innocent III , and zealously continued their policy of Papal supremacy.-Early life:Ugolino was...
had given Massa and Potenzolo to Ugo di Procaria, while Cagliari was divied between the Visconti
House of Visconti
Visconti is the family name of two important Italian noble dynasties of the Middle Ages. There are two distinct Visconti families: The first one in the Republic of Pisa in the mid twelfth century who achieved prominence first in Pisa, then in Sardinia where they became rulers of Gallura...
, Capraia
Capraia
Capraia, called Capraria in ancient times, is an island of Italy, part of the Tuscan Archipelago, off the northwest coast; it is also a comune belonging to the Province of Livorno. It is 62 km from the city of Livorno by sea, and 32 km northwest of the island of Elba; it is slightly...
, and Donoratico, Pisan families. Her heir was William. He reigned, but never ruled. Her sister Agnes and her husband, the aforementioned Marianus of Torres, held the regency.
Sources
- Moore, John C. "Pope Innocent III, Sardinia, and the Papal State." Speculum, Vol. 62, No. 1. (Jan., 1987), pp 81–101.
- Ghisalberti, Alberto M. Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani: VIII Bellucci – Beregan. Rome, 1966.
- Solmi, A. Studi storici sulle istituzioni della Sardegna nel Medioevo. Cagliari, 1917.
- Loddo Canepa, F. "Note sulle condizioni economiche e giuridiche degli abitanti di Cagliari dal secolo XI al XIX." Studi sardi. X–XI, 1952, pp 237ff.