Guaimar I (also ''Waimar'', ''Gaimar'', or ''Guaimario'') (c. 855 – 901) was the

prince of Salerno This page is a list of the rulers of the Principality of Salerno. When Prince Sicard of Benevento was assassinated by Radelchis in 839, the people of Salerno promptly proclaimed his brother, Siconulf, prince. War raged between Radelchis and Sico ...

from 880, when his father entered the monastery of

Monte Cassino Monte Cassino (today usually spelled Montecassino) is a rocky hill about southeast of Rome, in the Latin Valley, Italy, west of Cassino and at an elevation of . Site of the Roman town of Casinum, it is widely known for its abbey, the first h ...

in August. His parents were Prince Guaifer and Landelaica, daughter of

Lando I of Capua Lando I (died 861) was the count of Capua from 843. He was the eldest son and successor of Landulf the Old. Like his father, he supported Siconulf against Radelchis in the civil war dividing the Principality of Benevento in the 840s. It was Lando ...

. From 877, he was associated with his father on the throne, a practice which had begun with the previous dynasty and continued until the end of Salernitan independence in 1078. He came to the assistance of the

Emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...

Charles the Bald Charles the Bald (french: Charles le Chauve; 13 June 823 – 6 October 877), also known as Charles II, was a 9th-century king of West Francia (843–877), king of Italy (875–877) and emperor of the Carolingian Empire (875–877). After a ser ...

against the

Saracens file:Erhard Reuwich Sarazenen 1486.png, upright 1.5, Late 15th-century Germany in the Middle Ages, German woodcut depicting Saracens Saracen ( ) was a term used in the early centuries, both in Greek language, Greek and Latin writings, to refer ...

in 877, but Charles did not do any fighting before leaving Italy. The Saracens settled in

Agropoli Agropoli is a town and ''comune'' located in the Cilento area of the province of Salerno, Campania, Italy. It is situated at the start of the Cilentan Coast, on the Tyrrhenian Sea. History Pre-medieval period The promontory on which Agropoli ...

in 881 and threatened Salerno itself. Besides Saracens, Guaimar also had to fight the duke-bishop

Athanasius of Naples Athanasius (died 898) was the Bishop (as Athanasius II) 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. In ...

, who was ruling over Capua, technically a Salernitan vassal. In 886, he travelled with Lando II of Capua to

Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...

and did homage, returning in 887 with the title of

patrician Patrician may refer to: * Patrician (ancient Rome), the original aristocratic families of ancient Rome, and a synonym for "aristocratic" in modern English usage * Patrician (post-Roman Europe), the governing elites of cities in parts of medieval ...

from the emperor. He received a contingent of mercenaries and returned to ward off the Saracen menace. Benevento had fallen under

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...

control by that time and Guaimar married Itta, daughter of Guy II of Spoleto, and sister of

Guy IV of Spoleto Guy IV (''Guido'' or ''Wido''; assassinated 897) was the Duke of Spoleto and Camerino from 889 and Prince of Benevento from 895. He was the son of Guy II of Spoleto.His parentage is highly disputed. He is referred to as a son of Guy III of Spol ...

. Guy, with the prince's aid, reconquered Benevento in 895, increasing the prestige of Guaimar, whom he offered to make

regent A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...

of Benevento. It is not certain whether Guaimar accepted, but he tried to assassinate the

gastald A gastald (Latin ''gastaldus'' or ''castaldus''; Italian ''gastaldo'' or ''guastaldo'') was a Lombard official in charge of some portion of the royal demesne (a gastaldate, ''gastaldia'' or ''castaldia'') with civil, martial, and judicial powers. ...

Avellino Avellino () is a town and ''comune'', capital of the province of Avellino in the Campania region of southern Italy. It is situated in a plain surrounded by mountains east of Naples and is an important hub on the road from Salerno to Benevento. ...

, Adelferio, and was taken prisoner with his wife whatever the case. Guy had to come down and besiege the town to rescue him. He returned to Salerno disgraced. In 893, Guaimar had made his son, also Guaimar, co-prince, and it was he who ruled Salerno in the elder Guaimar's absence. Upon the elder prince's return, a Neapolitan faction in the city, supported by Athanasius, revolted, but the two Guaimars put it down and the elder, like his father before him, retired (or was forced by his son) to a monastery,

San Massimo San Massimo is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Campobasso in the Italian region Molise, located about southwest of Campobasso, comprising . As of 2017, San Massimo has a population of 754. Etymology San Massimo is named for Saint ...

, Guaifer's foundation, in 900 or 901, dying soon after. The chronicles of his reign describe him in despotic terms and he does not seem to have been popular, despite the later popularity of his name within the dynasty his father founded.

References

*Caravale, Mario (ed). ''Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani: LX Grosso – Guglielmo da Forlì''.

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

, 2003.
''Lexikon des Mittelalters'' VIII.1932
{{DEFAULTSORT:Guaimar 01 of Salerno 850s births 901 deaths Year of birth uncertain Lombard warriors Guaimar 1 9th-century rulers in Europe 9th-century Lombard people