Sorrento, Duchy of
Substate | Defunct
650 CE to 1137 CE
The Duchy of Sorrento is a small peninsular principality of the Early Middle Ages centered on the Italian city of Sorrento.Originally, Sorrento was part of the Byzantine Duchy of Naples in the Dark Ages, but in the ninth century, along with Amalfi and Gaeta, it breaks away from the Neapolitans to found its own ducatus (or republic).
However, it mostly remains under Amalfi and only one independent duke is known from this period, a Sergius in the late ninth century.In 1035, it is conquered by the Lombards under Guaimar IV of Salerno and bestowed on his younger brother Guy, who rules it until the 1070s.
Not long after that, it wis annexed by the Normans.In 1119, a certain Sergius undersigns a diploma of William II, Duke of Apulia, as "Prince of Sorrento."
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Gaeta is the ancient Caieta, situated on the slopes of the Torre di Orlando, a promontory overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
Gaeta was an ancient Ionian colony of the Samians according to Strabo, who believed the name stemmed from the Greek kaiétas, which means "cave", probably referring to the several harbors.
According to Virgil's Aeneid (vii.1–9), Caieta was Aeneas’ (another legend says Ascanius') wet-nurse, whom he buried here.
In classical times, Caieta, famous for its lovely and temperate climate, like the neighboring Formia and Sperlonga, was a tourist resort and site of the seaside villas of many important and rich characters of Rome.
Like the other Roman resorts, Caieta was linked to the capital of the Empire by Via Appia and its end trunk Via Flacca (or Valeria), through an opposite diverticulum or byroad.
Its port was of great importance in trade and in war, and was restored under Emperor Antoninus Pius.
Among its antiquities is the mausoleum of Lucius Munatius Plancus.
After the Lombard invasion of the eighth century, Gaeta had remained under suzerainty of the Eastern Roman Empire.
In the following years, like Amalfi, Sorrento and Naples, it seems to have established itself as a practically independent port and to have carried on a thriving trade with the Levant.
As imperial influence declined in Southern Italy the town had begun to grow.
The inhabitants of the neighboring Formiæ had fled to Gaeta in 840 for fear of the Saracens.
Although under the suzerainty of Constantinople, Gaeta has, like nearby ports Naples and Amalfi, a republican form of government with a dux ("duke", or commanding lord under the command of the imperial Exarch of Ravenna), as a strong bulwark against Saracen invasion.
Around 830, it had become a lordship ruled by hereditary hypati, or consuls: the first of these is Constantine (839–866), who in 847 had aided Pope Leo IV in the naval fight at Ostia.
At this same time (846) the episcopal see of Gaeta had been founded when Constantine, Bishop of Formiae, fled thither and established his residence.
He is associated with his son Marinus I.
The Saracens have been besieging Gaeta, which had led to Leo's order that the walls of the city be restored and strengthened between 848 and 849.
Emperor Louis II has spent most of his career trying to expel the Saracens from southern Italy, although the Lombard princes have hindered him in this endeavor.
Basil, whose plans for Italy have involves him in negotiations with Louis the German, king of the East Franks, launches an expedition against the Saracens in Sicily and southern Italy, capturing Bari in 871, his sea forces aided by the land army of Louis II.
Some jealousy between Louis and Basil follows the victory at Bari, and in reply to an insult from the eastern emperor Louis attempts to justify his right to the title "emperor of the Romans."
Louis has withdrawn into Benevento to prepare for a further campaign when he is treacherously attacked in his palace, robbed and imprisoned by Adelchis, prince of Benevento, in August 871.
The landing of fresh bands of Saracens compels Adelchis to release his prisoner a month later, and Louis is forced to swear he will take no revenge for this injury, nor ever enter Benevento with an army.
A report that the emperor Louis II was dead leads to peace between father and sons and attempts by Louis the German to gain the imperial crown for Carloman.
These efforts are thwarted by Louis II, who is not in fact dead, and Louis' old adversary, Charles the Bald.
Louis, released from his oath on returning to Rome, is crowned a second time as emperor by Pope Adrian II on May 18, 872.
Louis wins further successes against the Saracens, who are driven from Capua, but the emperor's attempts to punish Adeichis are not very successful.
Two Arab fleets had arrived in Taranto, in 871 and later in 875, carrying troops that sack Campania and Apulia.
The situation in southern Italy worries Emperor Basil I, who decides to fight the Arabs and take from them the harbor of Taranto, which the Saracens have held for nearly forty years.
It is from here that ships loaded with prisoners sail to the Arab ports, where their prisoners are sold in the slave markets.
John I of Gaeta had begun his rule as an associate of his father Docibilis I from either 867, right after his father's violent takeover, or 877, when he is first mentioned as co-regent.
In that year he had received the honorific patrikios from Emperor Constantine VII.
His father disappears from the annals in 906, but he is only confirmed dead in 914.
Nonetheless, the intervening period has been John's.
He has recognized his brother Anatolio as duke of Terracina and sold the castle of Dragoncello to his other brothers.
He has begun to reverse the policy of his father of alliance with the Saracens and war with his Lombard and Greek neighbors.
He marries his daughters off strategically: Gemma to the Sorrentine prefect Marinus, Maru to the Salernitan nobleman Guaifer, and Matrona to Campolo, of an important Gaetan family.
Probably from the earliest, in 906, John had associated his own son Docibilis in a co-regency, certainly by 914.
The forces of the new imperial strategos of Bari, Nicholas Picingli, join those of various other south Italian princes of Lombard or Greek extraction: Landulf I of Benevento, John I and his son Docibilis II of Gaeta, Gregory IV and John II of Naples, and Guaimar II of Salerno.
Meanwhile, Berengar brings with him troops from the northern parts of Italy, and the campaign is coordinated by John X, who takes to the field in person, alongside Duke Alberic I of Spoleto.
After some preliminary engagements at Campo Baccano and at Trevi, the Saracens are driven to their stronghold on the Garigliano.
Here, at the Battle of Garigliano, the allies proceed to lay siege to them for three months, at the end of which the Saracens burn their houses and attempt to burst out of the encirclement.
With Pope John leading the way, all are eventually caught and killed, achieving a great victory and removing the ongoing Saracen threat from the Italian mainland.
John then confirms the granting of Traetto to John I of Gaeta, as a reward for abandoning his Saracen allies.
John of Gaeta can expand his duchy to the Garigliano, and receives the title of patricius from Constantinople, leading his family to proclaim themselves "dukes", while Alberic's prestige after the victorious battle grants him a preeminent role in the future history of Rome.
The two most prominent families to arrive in the Mediterranean are descendants of Tancred of Hauteville and of the Drengots, of whom Rainulf Drengot receives the county of Aversa, the first Norman toehold in the south, from Duke Sergius IV of Naples in 1030.
The Hautevilles achieve princely rank by proclaiming Prince Guaimar IV of Salerno "Duke of Apulia and Calabria".
He promptly awards their elected leader, William Iron Arm, with the title of count with his capital of Melfi.
Pandulf IV, once again prince of Capua, is at war with Guaimar IV of Salerno in 1048.
On the death in this year of Rainulf II of Aversa (Rainulf Trincanocte), his succeeding son Herman, an infant, requires a regent.
The first appointment, Bellebouche, is a failure.
Richard Drengot, a cousin of Herman's, is at this time in a Melfitan prison for making war on Drogo.
Guaimar soon procures his release and personally brings him to Aversa, where he is installed as regent, and later as count in his own right.
Thus, Guaimar recaptures the allegiance of Aversa.