The Duchy of Naples (Latin: Ducatus Neapolitanus), born as a Byzantine province governed by a military commander (dux), rapidly became a de facto independent state, lasting more than five centuries during the Early and High Middle Ages. The duchy was constituted during in the seventh century in the reduced coastal lands that the Lombards did not conquer during their invasion of Italy. Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... Byzantine Empire (native Greek name: - Basileia tōn Romaiōn) is the term conventionally used since the 19th century to describe the Greek-speaking Roman Empire of the Middle Ages, centered at its capital in Constantinople. ... Dux is Latin for leader (from the verb ducere, to lead) and could refer to anyone who commanded troops, such as tribal leaders. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... The cathedral Notre Dame de Paris, a significant architectural contribution of the High Middle Ages. ... The Lombards (Latin Langobardi, from which the alternative name Longobards found in older English texts), were a Germanic people originally from Northern Europe that entered the late Roman Empire. ...

Lombard invasion and Neapolitan unrest

At the time of the Lombardic invasions of Italy in the mid-sixth century, Naples had a population of about 30-35,000. In 615, under Giovanni Consino, Naples rebelled for the first time against the Exarch of Ravenna, the Byzantine emperor's plenipotentiary in Italy. In reply, the first form of the duchy was created in 638 by the Exarch Eleutherius, but this duke came from abroad and had to respond to the strategos of Sicily. At that time the Ducatus Neapolitanus controlled an area corresponding roughly to the present day Province of Naples, encompassing the area of Vesuvius, the Campi Flegrei, the Sorrentine Peninsula, Giugliano, Aversa, Afragola, Nola, and the islands of Ischia and Procida. Capri was later part of the duchy of Amalfi. Events The Edict of Paris grants extensive rights to the Frankish nobility. ... Cousinus or Giovanni Consino (died 617) was the dux of Naples who in 615 or 616 tried to proclaim himself independent of the Byzantine Empire. ... The Exarchate of Ravenna was a center of Byzantine power in Italy, from the end of the 6th century to 751 A.D., when the last Exarch was put to death by the Emperors enemies in Italy, the Lombards. ... Byzantine Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered around its capital in Constantinople. ... Events Islamic calendar introduced The Muslims capture Antioch, Caesarea Palaestina and Akko Births Deaths October 12 - Pope Honorius I Categories: 638 ... Eleutherius (d. ... The term strategos (plural strategoi; Greek στρατηγός) is used in Greek to mean general. In the hellenistic and Byzantine Empires the term was also used to describe a military governor. ... Sicily (Sicilia in Italian and Sicilian, Σικελία in Greek) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,700 sq. ... Naples (It. ... Mount Vesuvius (Italian: Monte Vesuvio) is a volcano east of Naples, Italy, located at 40°49′N 14°26′ E. It is the only active volcano on the European mainland, although it is not currently erupting. ... Campi Flegrei (Burning Fields) is a large volcanic area situated in the west area of Napoli, Italy. ... Sorrento is the name of many cities and towns: Sorrento,_Italy Sorrento,_Florida, United States of America Sorrento, suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Sorrento, suburb of Perth, Western Australia, Australia Sorrento, Hong Kong, the largest residential development on Kowloon Station This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists... This article needs cleanup. ... Afragola is an important city of southern Italy. ... This article needs to be updated. ... The island of Ischia near Naples, Italy. ... View of Corricella from Cape Pizzaco. ... Overlooking Capri harbor from the rotunda in Villa San Michele. ... The Amalfi coast. ...

First local duchy

In 661, Naples obtained from the emperor Constans II the right to be ruled by a local duke, one Basil, whose subjection to the emperor soon became merely nominal. Among his titles were patrician and consul. He had authority over the neighbouring seaports of Gaeta, Amalfi, and Sorrento, though each of these was largely autonomous, especially during the later years of the Neapolitan duchy. Events Caliph Ali Ben Abu Talib is assassinated. ... Constans and his son Constantine. ... Patricians were originally the elite caste in ancient Rome. ... Consul (abbrev. ... Gaeta (ancient Latin name Caieta) is a city in Province of Latina, in Lazio, Italy. ... The Amalfi coast. ... Sorrento is the name of many cities and towns: Sorrento,_Italy Sorrento,_Florida, United States of America Sorrento, suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Sorrento, suburb of Perth, Western Australia, Australia Sorrento, Hong Kong, the largest residential development on Kowloon Station This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists...

In this era, the duchy coined monies with the effigy of the emperor and Greek inscriptions. Greek was the official language.

Papal suzerainty

In 763, the duke Stephen II switched his allegiance from Constantinople to Rome, putting Naples under papal suzerainty. Already during the reign of the imperially appointed John I, the papacy had come to the duke's aid against the Lombards while Byzantine assistance seemed remote. Stephen II's reign is considered a period of transition in the history of Naples, it moved away from the iconoclastic East and towards the papal West, the Greeks were soon to become as much a threat to the Neapolitans as the Lombards. Events Ciniod succeeds Bridei V as king of the Picts. ... Stephen II (died 799) was the duke of Naples during an important transitionary period in its history, from 755 to his death. ... Map of Constantinople. ... City motto: Senatus Populusque Romanus – SPQR (The Senate and the Roman People) coordinates: 41°54′N 12°29′E Time Zone: UTC+1 Administration Subdivisions 19 municipi Province Rome Region Latium Mayor Walter Veltroni ( The Union ) Characteristics Area 1,285 km² Population 2,547,677 (2005 estimate) Density 1983/km... Pope John Paul II has reigned since 22 Oct 1978. ... Suzerainty refers to a situation in which a region or people is a tributary to a more powerful entity which allows the tributary some limited domestic autonomy but controls its foreign affairs. ... John I was the duke of Naples from September 711[1] to his death, probably in 719. ...

Sometime around the beginning of the ninth century, the dukes began striking coinage with Latin inscriptions as Latin replaced Greek in official usage. Saint Januarius replaced the emperor on the coins. Acts were still dated by the imperial reign, but the emperor was of no consequence in regular Neapolitan affairs. In 812, when Leo III the Isaurian called for the fleet of the entire ducatus to aid the Byzantine admiral in combatting the Saracen pirates preying on Sicily, Duke Anthimus could ignore the order, only Amalfi and Gaeta responded with contingents. Apparently, the Neapolitans felt themselves practically independent already and their underlings felt themselves independent of Naples. Januarius is the name of a month in the ancient Roman calendar, called January in English. ... Events Births April 12 - Muhammad at-Taqi, Shia Imam (d. ... :For homonyms, see Leo III Leo the Isaurian and his son Constantine V. Leo III the Isaurian (c. ... The term Saracen comes from Greek sarakenoi, which is itself derived from the Arabic word شرقيين sharqiyyin (easterners). The word was used in the early centuries of the Roman Empire to describe a nomadic Arab tribe from the Sinai Desert. ... Anthimus or Anthemus was the Duke of Naples for from 801 until around 818, when the patrician of Sicily reestablished Byzantine control over the ducatus. ...

The duchy was not yet hereditary and in 818 and 821, the patrician of Sicily appointed the dukes without imperial approval. These dukes, however, are unknown, and the duke of 821 was chased from the city in favour of the elected Stephen III. This Stephen first began to mint pieces with his own initials on them and not those of his imperial highness. Events Bishop Theodulf of Orléans is deposed and imprisoned after getting involved in a conspiracy of Bernard, king of Italy, against Louis the Pious Births Deaths May 26 - Ali ar-Rida, Shia Imam Categories: 818 ... Events Tang Mu Zong becomes emperor of China Births Deaths February 11 - Benedict of Aniane, monastic founder and saint December 18 - Theodulf, Bishop of Orléans Coenwulf, king of Mercia Categories: 821 ... Sicily (Sicilia in Italian and Sicilian, Σικελία in Greek) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,700 sq. ... Stephen III (died 832) was the duke of Naples during an important transitionary period in its history, from 821 to his death. ...

Hereditary dukeship

In 840, Duke Sergius I made the succession to the duchy hereditary, and thenceforth Naples was de facto independent. In this age, the city was mainly a military centre, ruled by an aristocracy of warriors and landowners, even though it had been compelled to surrender to the neighbouring Lombards much of its inland territory. Naples was not a merchant city as other Campanian sea cities like Amalfi and Gaeta, but had a respectable fleet who took part in the Battle of Ostia against the Saracens in 849. Anyway Naples did not hesitate to ally with infidels if this turned to its advantage: in 836, for example, it asked support to the Saracens in order to push off the siege of Lombard troops coming from the neighbouring Duchy of Benevento. After its dukes rose to highest prominence under the Duke-Bishop Athanasius and his successors, of whom, Gregory IV and John II participated at the Battle of the Garigliano in 915, Naples declined in importance in the tenth century until it was captured by its traditional rival, Pandulf IV of Capua. Events After the death of Louis the Pious, his sons Lothar, Charles the Bald and Louis the German fight over the division of the empire, with Lothair succeding as Emperor. ... Sergius I (died 864) was the first duke of Naples of his dynasty, often dubbed the Sergi, which ruled over Naples for almost three centuries from his accession in 840 until the death of his namesake Sergius VII in 1137. ... Campania is a region of Southern Italy, bordering on Lazio to the north-west, Molise to the north, Puglia to the north-east, Basilicata to the east, and the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west. ... The Battle of Ostia was a naval battle fought in 849 AD between the Muslims of souther Italy and a Christian League of Papal, Neapolitan and Gaetan ships. ... For the rugby club Saracens see Saracens (rugby club) The term Saracen comes from Greek sarakenoi. ... Events Births Deaths August 18 - Walafrid Strabo, German monk and theologian Categories: 849 ... Events Abbasid caliph al-Mutasim establishes new capital at Samarra, Iraq. ... For the rugby club Saracens see Saracens (rugby club) The term Saracen comes from Greek sarakenoi. ... The Lombards (Latin Langobardi, from which the alternative name Longobards found in older English texts), were a Germanic people originally from Northern Europe that entered the late Roman Empire. ... The Duchy of Benevento was the southernmost Lombard duchy in medieval Italy, centred on Benevento, a city central in the Mezzogiorno. ... Athanasius[1] (died 898) was the bishop (as Athanasius II) and duke of Naples[2] from 878 to his death. ... Gregory IV was the firstborn son of Duke Sergius II of Naples and successor of his paternal uncle, Bishop Athanasius, in 898, when he was elected dux, or magister militum, unanimously by the aristocracy. ... John II (died 919) was the duke of Naples from 915 to his death. ... Combatants Christian League Saracens Commanders Alberic I of Spoleto The Battle of Garigliano was fought in 915 between the forces of the Christian League and the Saracens. ... Events Fatimid armies invaded Egypt. ... Pandulf IV (also spelled Randulf, Bandulf, Pandulph, Pandolf, Paldolf, or Pandolfo) was the prince of Capua on three separate occasions. ...

Struggles for relevance in the Norman South

In 1027, duke Sergius IV donated the county of Aversa to a band of Norman mercenaries led by Rainulf Drengot, whose support he had needed in the war with the principality of Capua. In that period he could not imagine the consequences, but this settlement began a process which eventually led to the end of Naples' independence itself. Sergius' cemented his position with marital alliances with the Normans, but when these broke down, he was abandoned by his mercenaries and retired to a monastery. His son, John V, cosied up to Guaimar IV of Salerno and eventually did homage to him. Events March 26 - Pope John XIX crowns Conrad II Holy Roman Emperor. ... Sergius IV (d. ... This article needs cleanup. ... The Normans (adapted from the name Northmen or Norsemen) were a mixture of the indigenous population of Neustria and Danish or Norwegian Vikings who began to occupy the northern area of France now known as Normandy in the latter half of the 9th century. ... Rainulf Drengot was a Norman adventurer and the first count of Aversa (1030–1045). ... This is as list of the Princes of Capua. ... John V was the son and successor of Sergius IV as Duke of Naples from 1036 to 1042. ... Guaimar IV (also Waimar, Gaimar, Guaimaro, or Guaimario) (c. ...

Naples was the last of the southern Italian states which the Normans had met when they first entered Italy. It survived the fall of the Lombard principalities: Capua, Salerno, Benevento. It had survived the fall of its fellow Greek duchies: Amalfi, Gaeta, Sorrento. In 1137, Duke Sergius VII was forced to surrender to Roger II of Sicily, who had had himself proclaimed King of Sicily seven years earlier. Under the new rulers the city was administrated by a compalazzo (palatine count), with little independence left to the Neapolitan patriciate. In this period Naples had a population of 30,000 and yet got its sustenance from the inland country: commerce activities were mainly delegated to foreign people, mainly from Pisa and Genova. // Groups BL1137 is the (now defunct) Unix group at Bell Labs in Murray Hill, NJ where Unix and C were invented. ... Sergius VII (died 30 October 1137) was the thirty-ninth and last duke (or magister militum) of Naples. ... Roger II, from Liber ad honorem Augusti of Petrus de Ebulo, 1196. ... The following is a list of monarchs of Naples and Sicily: See also: List of Counts of Apulia and Calabria Hauteville Counts of Sicily, 1071-1130 Roger I 1071-1101 Simon 1101-1105 Roger II 1105-1130 Hauteville Kings of Sicily, 1130-1198 Roger II 1130-1154 William I 1154... Pisa is a city in Tuscany, central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. ... Alternate uses, see Genoa (disambiguation). ...

Apart from the church of San Giovanni a Mare, Norman buildings in Naples were mainly lay ones, notably castles (Castel Capuano and Castel dell'Ovo), walls and fortified gates. Castel Capuano in Naples takes its name from the fact that it was at that point in the city walls where the road led out to the city of Capua. ... Castel dellOvo. ...

See also

• List of Dukes of Naples

The dukes of Naples were the military commanders of the ducatus Neapolitanus, a Byzantine outpost in Italy, one of the few remaining after the coming of the Lombards and Saracens. ...

Sources

• Naples in the Dark Ages by David Taylor and Jeff Matthews.
• Byzantine Dukes of Neapolis at Regnal Chronologies by Bruce R. Gordon.
• Chalandon, Ferdinand. Histoire de la domination normande en Italie et en Sicilie. Paris, 1907.
• Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani. Rome, 1960–Present.
• Oman, Charles. The Dark Ages 476-918. Rivingtons: London, 1914.