Torchitorio II (died 1130), also known by his birth name as Marianus II and surnamed ''de Unali'', was the

Judge of Cagliari The kings or ''judges'' (''iudices'' or ''judikes'') of Cagliari were the local rulers of the south of Sardinia during the Middle Ages. Theirs was the largest kingdom and for the eleventh through twelfth centuries contested the supremacy on the ...

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

galley A galley is a type of ship that is propelled mainly by oars. The galley is characterized by its long, slender hull, shallow draft, and low freeboard (clearance between sea and gunwale). Virtually all types of galleys had sails that could be used ...

s under Ottone Fornari, and probably also that of the

Republic of Pisa The Republic of Pisa ( it, Repubblica di Pisa) was an independent state centered on the Tuscan city of Pisa, which existed from the 11th to the 15th century. It rose to become an economic powerhouse, a commercial center whose merchants dominated ...

. 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 (''Maurreddia'' or ''Meurreddia'' in Sardinian language) is a subregion of Sardinia, Italy, in the Province of South Sardinia. Geographical extension Its municipalities are: Calasetta, Carbonia, Carloforte, Giba, Gonnesa, Masainas, Narc ...

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 is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...

and a shipload of

salt Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quantitie ...

. 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.Manno, 283, n717. This act may refer to the Genoese. 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 Saint Antiochus of Sulcis (died c. 127 AD) was an early Christian martyr of Sardinia. The island and town of Sant'Antioco are named after him. History and legend Antiochus is a figure associated with the Sardinian mines from which the Romans ...

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 Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Franc ...

. Torbeno left Torchitorio's court after two years to take part in the successful Pisan-Sardinian expedition against the

Almoravids The Almoravid dynasty ( ar, المرابطون, translit=Al-Murābiṭūn, lit=those from the ribats) was an imperial Berber Muslim dynasty centered in the territory of present-day Morocco. It established an empire in the 11th century that ...

of the

Balearic Islands The Balearic Islands ( es, Islas Baleares ; or ca, Illes Balears ) are an archipelago in the Balearic Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The archipelago is an autonomous community and a province of Spain; its capital is ...

. Both Torchitorio and

Constantine I of Logudoro Constantine IAlso ''Costantino'', ''Gosantine'', ''Goantine'', or ''Gantine''. (c. 1064 – 1128) was the giudice of Logudoro. He was co-ruling by 1082 and sole ruler by 1113. His reign is usually said to have begun about 1112. He was the son ...

supported the expedition, the latter sending his own son Saltaro.

Notes

Sources

*Manno, Giuseppe (1835).
Storia di Sardegna
'. P.M. Visaj. {{DEFAULTSORT:Torchitorio 02 Of Cagliari 1130 deaths Judges (judikes) of Cagliari Year of birth unknown