Turin > Torino Piemonte Italy

…the present cities of Turin and …

Hannibal destroys Turin (founded by the Taurini and hence at first called Taurasia) in 218.

Theudebert I had found himself embroiled in the Gothic War after relations between the Frankish kings had settled down.

Justinian sees Theudebert as an ideal ally: Austrasian lands flank the Ostrogoths in northern Italy.

The emperor has paid Theudebert handsomely for his assistance, but Theudebert proves an untrustworthy ally.

The Frankish armies see the Italian conflict as an opportunity for plunder and a chance to exert their own claims to northern Italy.

In summer 538, King Theudebert I sends a small Frankish force across the Alps, and separately defeats both the Goths and imperial forces at the River Po.

Belisarius retreats to Tuscany.

Hugh had retired to Provence, but continued to carry the royal title until his death in 947.

Lothair II, although he holds the title of rex Italiae, will never succeeded in exercising power here.

He had been betrothed in 931 and had been married, on December 12, 947, to the fifteen-year-old Adelaide, the spirited and intelligent daughter of Rudolph II of Burgundy and Bertha of Swabia.

Their marriage is part of a political settlement designed to conclude a peace between her father and his.

In 933, Hugh of Arles had given up his kingdom (Provence) to his inveterate enemy Rudolph II, who merged the two kingdoms into a new Kingdom of Arles, but died in 937.

The couple have a daughter, Emma, born as early as 948, who will be married in 966 to the Carolingian Lothair of France.

Lothair's power in Italy is nominal.

From the time of the successful uprising of the nobles in 945, when Hugh had been forced into exile, Berengar of Ivrea has kept all real power and patronage in his hands.

Lothair's brief "reign" comes to an end with his death on November 22, 950, presumably poisoned by Berengar II, leaving Adelaide widowed before her twentieth birthday.

Berengar II crowns himself king with his son Adalbert of Italy as his co-ruler and heir apparent.

Failing to receive widespread support for his right to the crown, Berengar II attempts to legitimize his reign and tries to force Adelaide, the respective daughter, daughter-in-law and widow of the last three Italian kings, into marriage with Adalbert.

Adelaide fiercely refuses and is imprisoned by Berengar II at Garda Lake.

Ulric Manfred, born in Turin, was the son of Manfred I, from whom he has inherited a vast march centered on Turin (1000), which had been created from the lands of Arduin Glaber.

By a charter dated July 31, 1001, the Emperor Otto III confirms his possessions and grants him several privileges.

This grant is requested by Hugonis marchionis, probably Hugh the Great, margrave of Tuscany.

Ulric Manfred, immediately upon his succession, had begun to consolidate his power vis-à-vis Arduin of the March of Ivrea on one hand and the Holy Roman Emperor Henry II on the other.

Arduin surrenders the Italian crown and retires to the Fruttuaria monastery near Turin, where he will die the following year.

An embassy from Italy, sent by Ulric Manfred II of Turin, comes to France in 1024–1025 seeking a king of their own, the Emperor Henry II having died.

The Italians had asked for Robert's son Hugh Magnus, co-king of France, but Robert had refused to allow his son to go and the Italians turn to William, whose character and court impress many.

He sets out for Italy to consider the proposal, but the Italian political situation persuades him to renounce the crown for him and his heirs.

Most of his surviving six letters deal with the Italian proposal.

The early life of Adelaide of Susa, born in Turin to Ulric Manfred II and Bertha some time between about around 1014 and 1020, is not well known.

Adelaide has two younger sisters, Immilla and Bertha.

She may also have had a brother, whose name is not known, who predeceased her father.

Thus, on Ulric Manfred's death in December 1033 or 1034, the great margraviate had been divided between his three daughters, though the greatest part by far went to Adelaide.

She had received the property in the counties of Turin, especially in the Susa Valley, Auriate, and Asti.

Adelaide had also inherited property, but probably not comital authority, in Albenga, Alba, Bredulo and Ventimiglia.

It is likely that Adelaide's mother, Bertha, briefly acted as regent for Adelaide after Ulric Manfred's death.

Since the margravial title primarily has a military purpose at this time, it was thus was not considered suitable for a woman.

Emperor Conrad II, had therefore arranged a marriage between Adelaide and his stepson, Herman IV in January 1037.

Herman was then invested as margrave of Turin.

Herman had died of the plague while fighting for Conrad II at Naples in July 1038.

Adelaide had remarried in order to secure her vast march.

Probably in 1041, and certainly before January 19, 1042, Adelaide had married Henry, Marquess of Montferrat.

Henry had died around 1045, leaving Adelaide a widow for the second time.

A third marriage is undertaken immediately,  this time to Otto of Savoy.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, the town of Turin had been conquered by the Lombards, then the Franks of Charlemagne in 773.

The Contea di Torino (countship) had been founded in the 940s, which is held by the Arduinic dynasty until 10546.

After the marriage of Adelaide of Susa with Humbert Biancamano's son Otto, the family of the Counts of Savoy gain control.

Conrad had been unsuccessful in resisting Matilda of Tuscany until his father came down to italy in the spring of 1090 to launch his third punitive expedition in Italy.

Throughout 1091, Conrad has been at his father's side, as his "most beloved son".

On December 19, 1091 Conrad's grandmother, the Margravine Adelaide of Turin, died.

She had named her ten-year-old great-grandson, Peter, as her heir following the death of Peter's father, Count Frederick of Montbéliard, on June 29, 1091.

Henry, however, declares Conrad the rightful heir and places him in charge of the march.

The southern counties meanwhile are seized by Boniface I of Vasto and Henry grants the county of Asti to the bishop elect Oddo.

Throughout 1092, Conrad campaigns in the march of Turin to establish imperial control.