Aio or Haio (died after 811) was the probable

Duke of Friuli The dukes and margraves of Friuli were the rulers of the Duchy and March of Friuli in the Middle Ages. The dates given below, when contentious, are discussed in the articles of the respective dukes. Lombard dukes * 568–c.584 Grasulf I * 5 ...

between the death of

Eric The given name Eric, Erich, Erikk, Erik, Erick, or Eirik is derived from the Old Norse name ''Eiríkr'' (or ''Eríkr'' in Old East Norse due to monophthongization). The first element, ''ei-'' may be derived from the older Proto-Norse ''* ain ...

(799) and the appointment of Cadolah (817). He may have been preceded by another possible duke, Hunfrid, who died circa 808. Though he is not found as a duke in any contemporary or later sources, from his power in the region, he is surmised to have exercised the ducal authority during a period when no other duke is known. Aio was first granted land in the

Duchy of Friuli The Duchy of Friuli was a Lombard duchy in present-day Friuli, the first to be established after the conquest of the Italian peninsula in 568. It was one of the largest domains in ''Langobardia Major'' and an important buffer between the Lombard ...

Actually, he was granted land ''in territorio Foroiulense et Vicentino atque Veronense'': "in the territory of Friuli and Vicenza, as well as Verona." by

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first ...

on 2 February 799. Charlemagne later confirmed the division of this property between Aio's sons on 7 July 809: the eldest son, Alboin or Albuin, received

Friuli Friuli ( fur, Friûl, sl, Furlanija, german: Friaul) is an area of Northeast Italy with its own particular cultural and historical identity containing 1,000,000 Friulians. It comprises the major part of the autonomous region Friuli Venezia Giuli ...

and

Vicenza Vicenza ( , ; ) is a city in northeastern Italy. It is in the Veneto region at the northern base of the ''Monte Berico'', where it straddles the Bacchiglione River. Vicenza is approximately west of Venice and east of Milan. Vicenza is a thr ...

; the second, Ingobert, received land in Vicenza; and the youngest, Agisclaf, received

Verona Verona ( , ; vec, Verona or ) is a city on the Adige River in Veneto, Italy, with 258,031 inhabitants. It is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region. It is the largest city municipality in the region and the second largest in nor ...

. Aio's holdings were extensive and his grants to his sons had to be confirmed by the emperor himself. According to both Einhard and the ''

Annales Fuldenses The ''Annales Fuldenses'' or ''Annals of Fulda'' are East Frankish chronicles that cover independently the period from the last years of Louis the Pious (died 840) to shortly after the end of effective Carolingian rule in East Francia with the a ...

'', Charlemagne sent Haido, Bishop of Basel, Hugh, Count of Tours, and Aio as ''

missi dominici A ''missus dominicus'' (plural ''missi dominici''), Latin for "envoy of the lord uler or ''palace inspector'', also known in Dutch as Zendgraaf (German: ''Sendgraf''), meaning "sent Graf", was an official commissioned by the Frankish king or Hol ...

'' to meet emissaries from

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 confirm the Pax Nicephori in 811.

Notes

References

Medieval Lands Project: Nobility of Northern Italy (900–1100).
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aio Of Friuli Dukes of Friuli 8th-century births 9th-century deaths