Pandenulf was the
Count of Capua
This is a list of the rulers of the Principality of Capua.
Lombard rulers of Capua Gastalds and counts
The gastalds (or counts) of Capua were vassals of the princes of Benevento until the early 840s, when Gastald Landulf began to clamour for the ...
, claiming that title from 862 and holding it successfully during the tumultuous civil war of 879 – 882. He was the son and successor of
Pando, but was removed on his father's death by his uncle the bishop,
Landulf II.
On Landulf's death, he reasserted his claim with the support of a large faction, though he was opposed by
Lando III. He took the cities of
Teano and
Caserta
Caserta () is the capital of the province of Caserta in the Campania region of Italy. It is an important agricultural, commercial, and industrial '' comune'' and city. Caserta is located on the edge of the Campanian plain at the foot of the Ca ...
, while Lando's faction held
Caiazzo
Caiazzo (also Cajazzo) (Campanian: ) is a city and '' comune'' in the province of Caserta (Campania) in Italy. It is located on the right bank of the Volturnus, some northeast of Capua.
History
The ancient Caiatia was already in the hands of ...
and
Calino. Landenulf had the support of
Guaifer of Salerno Guaifer (also ''Guaifar'', ''Waifer'', ''Waifar'', or ''Guaiferio'') (c. 835 – 880) was the Prince of Salerno from 861. The son of Daufer the Mute and grandson of Daufer the Prophet, he was the first of the Dauferidi to sit on the Salernitan ...
, so Pandenulf tried to get
Gaideris of Benevento and the ''
strategos''
Gregory, then together in
Benevento. They went to
Nola
Nola is a town and a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania, southern Italy. It lies on the plain between Mount Vesuvius and the Apennines. It is traditionally credited as the diocese that introduced bells to Christian wor ...
, but Pandenulf refused to do homage to Gaideris. The Beneventans and Greeks joined the Salernitans in besieging Capua. The siege dragged on and soon only the prince of Benevento was left.
Meanwhile, Pandenulf renewed his fidelity to the
papacy
The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...
, hoping to use
Pope John VIII
Pope John VIII ( la, Ioannes VIII; died 16 December 882) was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 14 December 872 to his death. He is often considered one of the ablest popes of the 9th century.
John devoted much of his papacy ...
as leverage against his adversaries. The Capuans, however, had made Landulf, the young son of Lando, bishop in that city, but Pandenulf had him expelled and tried to appoint his own brother Landenulf, though married, bishop. This caused a schism in the Capuan church. Pandenulf sent his brother to
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 ...
demanding that the pope consecrate him. The
bishop of Teano The Diocese of Teano (Latin: ''Dioecesis Theanensis'') was a Roman Catholic diocese in Italy, located in the city of Teano in the province of Caserta in Campania, Italy. In 1818, it was united the Diocese of Calvi Risorta to form the Diocese of C ...
and the abbot of
Montecassino urged John to resist the Capuan count, but John, wishing to retain his loyalty and to satisfy both claimants, consecrated Landulf as bishop of Old Capua, now called
Santa Maria Capua Vetere
Santa Maria Capua Vetere ( nap, Santa Maria 'e Capua) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Caserta, part of the region of Campania (southern Italy).
Though it is not connected with the ''Civitas Capuana'', the town is a medieval place and ...
, and affirmed Landenulf as bishop of New Capua. Eventually, Pandenulf recognised Lando in Caiazzo, but there were other claimants to deal with.
After
Docibilis I of Gaeta
Docibilis I ( it, Docibile; died before 914) was the Hypatus of Gaeta from 867 until his death.
The sudden disappearance of the co-hypati Constantine and Marinus I after 866 suggests that Docibilis' assumption of power was violent. He is first ...
broke with the pope over the
Saracens, with whom Docibilis was allied, John authorised Pandenulf to seize
papal possessions governed by Naples. Pandenulf's troops reduced the Gaetans to control only of their own peninsula, but Docibils called in the Saracens of
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 ...
and retook
Fondi
Fondi ( la, Fundi; Southern Laziale: ''Fùnn'') is a city and ''comune'' in the province of Latina, Lazio, central Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. I ...
, ravaging the papal territory. Pandenulf was called back by events in Capua, however, and John was forced to make a treaty with Docibilis whereby the latter became a papal vassal.
Pandenulf found a second ally in the person of
Athanasius
Athanasius I of Alexandria, ; cop, ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲑⲁⲛⲁⲥⲓⲟⲩ ⲡⲓⲁⲡⲟⲥⲧⲟⲗⲓⲕⲟⲥ or Ⲡⲁⲡⲁ ⲁⲑⲁⲛⲁⲥⲓⲟⲩ ⲁ̅; (c. 296–298 – 2 May 373), also called Athanasius the Great, ...
,
duke-bishop of Naples. Wanting to keep the Capuans at war, Athanasius gladly entered the conflict. He was excommunicated at the time because he was allied with the Saracens. He thus transferred his allegiance to the
Byzantines and besieged Capua. From April 881, he expelled Pandenulf and himself ruled in Capua as a vassal of
Guaimar I of Salerno Guaimar I (also ''Waimar'', ''Gaimar'', or ''Guaimario'') (c. 855 – 901) was the prince of Salerno from 880, when his father entered the monastery of Monte Cassino in August. His parents were Prince Guaifer and Landelaica, daughter of Lando I of ...
.
Sources
*Gay, Jules. ''L'Italie méridionale et l'empire Byzantin: Livre I''. Burt Franklin: New York, 1904.
''Historia Langabardorvm Beneventarnorvm'' at The Latin Library*Caravale, Mario (ed). ''Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani: LXIII Labroca – Laterza''.
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 ...
, 2004.
{{s-end
Counts of Capua
Lombard warriors
People excommunicated by the Catholic Church
9th-century Lombard people
9th-century rulers in Europe
9th-century births
Place of birth unknown
9th-century deaths