Torchitorio II of Cagliari
Encyclopedia
Torchitorio II also known by his birth name as Marianus II and surnamed de Unali, was the Judge of Cagliari from circa 1102 to his death, but initially with opposition.
Torchitorio was the son of Salusio II
. When Salusio died, the office of judge was still nominally electoral and Salusio's brother Torbeno
seems to have pressed a claim to it. Nevertheless, Torbeno's government was short-lived and Torchitorio was soon securely in power, and the principle of hereditary succession was further entrenched in Cagliari. His return to power was the result of the aid of the Genoese
, who lent six galleys under Ottone Fornari, and probably also that of the Republic of Pisa
.
Torchitorio's first recorded public act was a donation to the Church of S. Lorenzo in Genoa in thankfulness for the aid. He also made grants to the church in Pisa. His gratefulness to the Pisans was recorded in a donation along with the names of all the noble citizens of Cagliari. The Pisans agreed to defend the peninsula of Sulcis
with three of their galleys, but as this would stretch their resources, Torchitorio had to pay them an annual tribute of one pound pure gold
and a shipload of salt
. He also released Pisan merchants from customs dues and made later charters also in favour of Pisan commerce, always reaffirming his gratefulness for their assistance in recovering his realm.
Torchitorio's politics, however, were not skewed to one republic or the other. He obtained the protection of Genoa and authorised William, Archbishop of Cagliari, to make a donation of the church of S. Giovanni d'Assemine to the church of Genoa. He also confirmed his previous acts in favour of Pisa with the consent of his son Salusio III and his wife Preciosa de Lacon.
As to his relations with the church, Torchitorio's name is found subscribing many charters of the archbishop William in favour of Antiochus of Sulcis
and S. Saturnino
and he was probably a devotee of that last saint.
Torchitorio was at first at odds with his deposed uncle, but he soon was back on good terms and Torbeno appears in later documents alongside the judge's other relatives. He subscribed the charter making a large donation to the church of Saint-Victor at Marseille
. Torbeno left Torchitorio's court after two years to take part in the successful Pisan-Sardinian expedition against the Almoravids
of the Balearic Islands
. Both Torchitorio and Constantine I of Logudoro supported the expedition, the latter sending his own son Saltaro
.
Torchitorio was the son of Salusio II
Constantine I of Cagliari
Constantine I was the giudice of Cagliari. He was the son of the giudice Orzocco Torchitorio and giudicessa Vera. In the eleventh century, the throne of Cagliari traditionally passed between the houses of Torchitorio de Ugunale and Salusio de Lacon. Constantine took the name Salusio II upon his...
. When Salusio died, the office of judge was still nominally electoral and Salusio's brother Torbeno
Torbeno of Cagliari
Torbeno or Turbino was briefly Judge of Cagliari after Constantine I for an unknown period between 1090, when Constantine last appears in the sources, and 1108, when Constantine's son Torchitorio II first appears as judge....
seems to have pressed a claim to it. Nevertheless, Torbeno's government was short-lived and Torchitorio was soon securely in power, and the principle of hereditary succession was further entrenched in Cagliari. His return to power was the result of the aid of the Genoese
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....
, who lent six galleys under Ottone Fornari, and probably also 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...
.
Torchitorio's first recorded public act was a donation to the Church of S. Lorenzo in Genoa in thankfulness for the aid. He also made grants to the church in Pisa. His gratefulness to the Pisans was recorded in a donation along with the names of all the noble citizens of Cagliari. The Pisans agreed to defend the peninsula 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....
with three of their galleys, but as this would stretch their resources, Torchitorio had to pay them an annual tribute of one pound pure gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
and a shipload of salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
. He also released Pisan merchants from customs dues and made later charters also in favour of Pisan commerce, always reaffirming his gratefulness for their assistance in recovering his realm.
Torchitorio's politics, however, were not skewed to one republic or the other. He obtained the protection of Genoa and authorised William, Archbishop of Cagliari, to make a donation of the church of S. Giovanni d'Assemine to the church of Genoa. He also confirmed his previous acts in favour of Pisa with the consent of his son Salusio III and his wife Preciosa de Lacon.
As to his relations with the church, Torchitorio's name is found subscribing many charters of the archbishop William in favour of Antiochus of Sulcis
Antiochus of Sulcis
Saint Antiochus of Sulcis was an early Christian martyr of Sardinia. The island and town of Sant'Antioco are named after him. He is a figure associated with the Sardinian mines from which the Romans extracted minerals and precious metals; the Romans condemned prisoners of war and Christians to...
and S. Saturnino
Saint Saturninus
Saint Saturninus may refer to:*Saturninus , companion of Saints Perpetua and Felicity, martyred in Carthage, feast day: 7 March*Saturnin of Toulouse , first bishop of Toulouse, France, feast day: 29 November*Saturninus Saint Saturninus may refer to:*Saturninus (died c. 203), companion of Saints...
and he was probably a devotee of that last saint.
Torchitorio was at first at odds with his deposed uncle, but he soon was back on good terms and Torbeno appears in later documents alongside the judge's other relatives. He subscribed the charter making a large donation to the church of Saint-Victor at Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
. Torbeno left Torchitorio's court after two years to take part in the successful Pisan-Sardinian expedition against the Almoravids
Almoravids
The Almoravids were a Berber dynasty of Morocco, who formed an empire in the 11th-century that stretched over the western Maghreb and Al-Andalus. Their capital was Marrakesh, a city which they founded in 1062 C.E...
of the Balearic Islands
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.The four largest islands are: Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain with Palma as the capital...
. Both Torchitorio and Constantine I of Logudoro supported the expedition, the latter sending his own son Saltaro
Saltaro of Torres
Saltaro was the son of Constantine I of Logudoro. His mother is unknown, it may have been Marcusa. Whether or not he is the same person as the "Saltaro de Gunale" pretender to the throne of Logudoro in 1127 during the reign of Gonario II is unknown....
.
Sources
- Manno, Giuseppe. Storia di Sardegna. 2005.