Enzio of Sardinia
King of Sardinia
1218 CE to 1272 CE
Enzo (or Enzio) (c. 1218–1272) is an illegitimate son of Emperor Frederick II, who appoints him King of Sardinia in 1238.
He plays a major role in the wars between Guelphs and Ghibellines in northern Italy, and is captured by his enemies in 1249.
He remains imprisoned in Bologna until his death.
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Frederick receives the news of his excommunication by Gregory IX in the first months of 1239 while his court is in Padua.
The emperor responds by expelling the Minorites and the Preachers from Lombardy, and electing his son Enzio as Imperial vicar for Northern Italy.
Enzio soon annexes the Romagna, …
…the Marche, and…
…the Duchy of Spoleto, nominally part of the Papal States.
His father announces Enzio is to destroy the Republic of Venice, which had sent some ships against Sicily.
Frederick marches across Tuscany in December of 1239, enters triumphantly into Foligno, then …
…besieges Viterbo, whence he aims to finally conquer Rome, in order to restore the ancient glory of the Empire.
The siege, however, is ineffective, and …
…the emperor returns to southern Italy, sacking Benevento (a papal possession).
Peace negotiations come to nothing.
The Ghibelline city of Ferrara has fallen in the meantime.
Frederick sweeps his way northwards, capturing Ravenna and, …
…after another long siege, Faenza.
The people of Forlì (which keeps its Ghibelline stance even after the collapse of Hohenstaufen power) offer their loyal support during the capture of the rival city: as a sign of gratitude, they are granted an augmentation of the communal coat-of-arms with the Hohenstaufen eagle, together with other privileges.
This episode shows how the independent cities use the rivalry between Empire and Pope as a means to obtain maximum advantage for themselves.