Romuald II the Younger (died 732
[724 in the ''Lexikon''.]) was the son of
Gisulf I and Winiperga. He succeeded as
duke of Benevento on the death of his father, which is dated variously as 698, 706, or 707. According to
Paul the Deacon
Paul the Deacon ( 720s 13 April in 796, 797, 798, or 799 AD), also known as ''Paulus Diaconus'', ''Warnefridus'', ''Barnefridus'', or ''Winfridus'', and sometimes suffixed ''Cassinensis'' (''i.e.'' "of Monte Cassino"), was a Benedictine monk, s ...
, Gisulf reigned 17 years, which would imply his death in 698, but Paul also mentions acts which seem certainly to have occurred around 705. He gives Romuald a reign of 26 years, which puts his death in either 724, 731, or 732.
Romuald conflicted with both the
Duchy of Spoleto
The Duchy of Spoleto (, ) was a Lombard territory founded about 570 in central Italy by the Lombard ''dux'' Faroald. Its capital was the city of Spoleto.
Lombards
The Lombards had invaded Italy in 568 AD and conquered much of it, establishing ...
and the
Duchy of Naples
The Duchy of Naples ( la, Ducatus Neapolitanus, it, Ducato di Napoli) began as a Byzantine province that was constituted in the seventh century, in the reduced coastal lands that the Lombards had not conquered during their invasion of Italy in ...
during his long reign. Conflict with the latter brought him into conflict with 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 ...
as well. He took the outlying castle of
Cumae
Cumae ( grc, Κύμη, (Kumē) or or ; it, Cuma) was the first ancient Greek colony on the mainland of Italy, founded by settlers from Euboea in the 8th century BC and soon becoming one of the strongest colonies. It later became a rich Ro ...
from
John I of Naples John I was the duke of Naples from September 711 to his death, probably in 719.The first year in which a new duke appears. The main source for his reign is the ''Chronicon ducum et principum Beneventi, Salerni, et Capuae et ducum Neapolis''.
In 71 ...
in 716 and ignored
Pope Gregory II
Pope Gregory II ( la, Gregorius II; 669 – 11 February 731) was the bishop of Rome from 19 May 715 to his death. 's pleas and offers of compensation for restitution. In 717, the pope funded an expedition of John's which decisively defeated his
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.
...
's army and displaced his men from Cuma.
Romuald was married twice: firstly to Guntberga (or Gumperga), daughter of
King Liutprand
Liutprand was the king of the Lombards from 712 to 744 and is chiefly remembered for his multiple phases of law-giving, in fifteen separate sessions from 713 to 735 inclusive, and his long reign, which brought him into a series of conflicts, mos ...
's sister Aurona, and secondly to Ranigunda, daughter of Duke Gaiduald of Brescia. He was succeeded by his son by Gumperga,
Gisulf II, but he was a minor and was removed by the usurper
Adelais Adelais is a given name that may refer to:
* Adelaide of Auxerre, a name referring to multiple people and sometimes given as Adelais
*Audelais of Benevento, name sometimes given as Adelais (lived 730s)
*Adelais, daughter of Pepin the Short (d.768), ...
, though his life was spared.
Sources
''Lexikon des Mittelalters'': Romuald II. Herzog von Benevent (698-724)
*
Paul the Deacon
Paul the Deacon ( 720s 13 April in 796, 797, 798, or 799 AD), also known as ''Paulus Diaconus'', ''Warnefridus'', ''Barnefridus'', or ''Winfridus'', and sometimes suffixed ''Cassinensis'' (''i.e.'' "of Monte Cassino"), was a Benedictine monk, s ...
''Historia Langobardorum'' Available at Northvegr.
Notes
732 deaths
Romoald 2
Lombard warriors
8th-century rulers in Europe
8th-century Lombard people
Year of birth unknown
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