Landulf II of Benevento
Encyclopedia
Landulf II called the Red, was the Lombard
prince of Benevento and prince of Capua (as Landulf IV) from 939 or 940, when his father, Landulf I
, first associated him with the government, his mother was Gemma, daughter of Athanasius of Naples
. He may have been associated as early as 933, when his elder brother, Atenulf III, was made co-regent. His uncle Atenulf II died in 940 and it is likely that Landulf served as a replacement.
Whatever the case, when the elder Landulf died on 10 April 943, Landulf removed his elder brother Atenulf to Benevento and his uncle Atenulf's son Landulf to Capua. Fearing for their lives, the two fled to Guaimar II of Salerno
and Landulf the Red became sole prince. His first act was to continue the family policy of associated younger sons as co-princes in the government. He made his eldest son Pandulf
co-prince. Other than that, Landulf made little attempts to continue family policy of alliance with his fellow Lombards and détente with the Byzantines. He distanced himself from Constantinople, while trying not to enter into open warfare, and made several tries at reuniting the Lombard principality of Salerno
with the united Capua-Benevento. He abandoned imperial dating and dated from his own reign.
In 946, he allied with John III of Naples
to oust Gisulf I of Salerno
, son of Guaimar. He was ambushed in a pass at La Cava
by Mastalo I of Amalfi and the ousting failed. He soon broke his alliance with Naples and allied with Gisulf to besieged Neapolitan Nola
. In 950, he was called to the aid of Aligerno, abbot of Monte Cassino
. His descendants would prove to be the worst persecutors of that great monastery. He followed up his Salernitan and Neapolitan failures with successful campaigns against the gastald
of Aquino
, Atenulf Megalu, whom he exiled to the Docibilis II of Gaeta
.
In 955, Landulf made his biggest failure in supporting an Apulia
n revolt against Greek authority. He was forced to recognise Byzantine supremacy. The rest of his reign is less eventful, he failed in his two great ambitions: conquering Salerno and opposing the Byzantines. He associated his second son, Landulf
, with him in 959 and died in 961.
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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...
prince of Benevento and prince of Capua (as Landulf IV) from 939 or 940, when his father, Landulf I
Landulf I of Benevento
Landulf I , sometimes called Antipater, was a Lombard nobleman and the Prince of Benevento and of Capua from 12 January 901, when his father, Atenulf I, prince of Capua and conqueror of Benevento, associated his with him in power...
, first associated him with the government, his mother was Gemma, daughter of Athanasius of Naples
Athanasius of Naples
Athanasius was the Bishop and Duke of Naples from 878 to his death. He was the son of Gregory III and brother of Sergius II, whom he blinded and deposed in order to seize the throne while he was already bishop....
. He may have been associated as early as 933, when his elder brother, Atenulf III, was made co-regent. His uncle Atenulf II died in 940 and it is likely that Landulf served as a replacement.
Whatever the case, when the elder Landulf died on 10 April 943, Landulf removed his elder brother Atenulf to Benevento and his uncle Atenulf's son Landulf to Capua. Fearing for their lives, the two fled to Guaimar II of Salerno
Guaimar II of Salerno
Guaimar II was the Lombard prince of Salerno from 901, when his father retired to a monastery, to his death. His father was Guaimar I and his mother was Itta. He was associated with his father in the principality from 893...
and Landulf the Red became sole prince. His first act was to continue the family policy of associated younger sons as co-princes in the government. He made his eldest son Pandulf
Pandulf Ironhead
Pandulf I Ironhead was the Prince of Benevento and Capua from 943 until his death. He was made Duke of Spoleto and Camerino in 967 and succeeded as Prince of Salerno in 977 or 978...
co-prince. Other than that, Landulf made little attempts to continue family policy of alliance with his fellow Lombards and détente with the Byzantines. He distanced himself from Constantinople, while trying not to enter into open warfare, and made several tries at reuniting the Lombard principality of Salerno
Principality of Salerno
The Lombard Principality of Salerno was a South Italian state, centered on the port city of Salerno, formed in 851 out of the Principality of Benevento after a decade-long civil war....
with the united Capua-Benevento. He abandoned imperial dating and dated from his own reign.
In 946, he allied with John III of Naples
John III of Naples
John III was the longest-reigning Duke of Naples . He was the son and successor of Marinus I.At the beginning of his reign, he warred against the Saracens and then made a treaty with them after they appeared beneath his walls in 929...
to oust Gisulf I of Salerno
Gisulf I of Salerno
Gisulf I was the eldest son of his father, Guaimar II, and his second wife Gaitelgrima. He was associated with his father as prince of Salerno in 943 and he succeeded him on his death in 952...
, son of Guaimar. He was ambushed in a pass at La Cava
Cava de' Tirreni
Cava de’ Tirreni is a city and comune in the region of Campania, Italy, in the province of Salerno, 10 km northwest of the town of Salerno...
by Mastalo I of Amalfi and the ousting failed. He soon broke his alliance with Naples and allied with Gisulf to besieged Neapolitan Nola
Nola
Nola is a city and comune of Campania, southern Italy, in the province of Naples, situated in the plain between Mount Vesuvius and the Apennines...
. In 950, he was called to the aid of Aligerno, abbot of Monte Cassino
Monte Cassino
Monte Cassino is a rocky hill about southeast of Rome, Italy, c. to the west of the town of Cassino and altitude. St. Benedict of Nursia established his first monastery, the source of the Benedictine Order, here around 529. It was the site of Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944...
. His descendants would prove to be the worst persecutors of that great monastery. He followed up his Salernitan and Neapolitan failures with successful campaigns against the gastald
Gastald
A gastald was a Lombard official in charge of some portion of the royal demesne with civil, martial, and judicial powers. By the Edictum Rothari of 643, the gastalds were given the civil authority in the cities and the reeves the like authority in the countryside...
of Aquino
Aquino
Aquino is a town and comune in the province of Frosinone, in the Lazio region of Italy, 12 km northwest of Cassino.-History:The ancient Aquinum was a municipium in the time of Cicero, and made a colony by the Triumviri...
, Atenulf Megalu, whom he exiled to the Docibilis II of Gaeta
Docibilis II of Gaeta
Docibilis II was the ruler of Gaeta, in one capacity or another, from 906 until his death. He was the son of the hypatus John I, who made him co-ruler in 906 or thereabouts....
.
In 955, Landulf made his biggest failure in supporting an 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...
n revolt against Greek authority. He was forced to recognise Byzantine supremacy. The rest of his reign is less eventful, he failed in his two great ambitions: conquering Salerno and opposing the Byzantines. He associated his second son, Landulf
Landulf III of Benevento
Landulf III was Prince of Capua and Benevento from 959 as co-prince with his father, Landulf II and brother Pandulf Ironhead, and from 961 only with his brother. His mother was Yvantia....
, with him in 959 and died in 961.
Sources
- Caravale, Mario (ed). Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani: LXIII Labroca – Laterza. RomeRomeRome 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...
, 2004.
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