The Raise of the Lombard in 10th Century Europe
By Sheb v. Sheb, PhD
The Germanic Lombard people migrated in large number from Pannonia to Northern Italy in the second half of the sixth century to fill up the void left by the wars between Franks and Byzantines as well as the devastating plague of 541-542. During the 7th and 8th century the
Regnum Langobardorum was little more than a confederation of powerful local Dukes that elected a King from among their number.
This changed at the end of the 8th Century, when Adalgis was forced to flee Italy after Charlemagne has taken his father Desiderius prisoner at the siege of Pavia. The death of Charlemagne let Adalgis return to his throne, but the episode let him adopt the Salic law of the Frank as succession law of Lombardy.*
Under the leadership of Adalgis and his descendants, Lombardy expanded once more within Italy and even started expanding in Africa, in a serie of duke-led war that some historians have nickenamed the "Lombard Crusade", despite the fact that those invasions were not sanctioned by Rome and predate the Crusades by a good century.
This expension was however limited to Africa, and frequent war between the dukes prevented Lombardy from raising to the position its size should have given it. This changed under the rule of Radelchis 'the Able' Ursingi.
This portrait of Radelchis dates from ~916 at the start of the "Lombard Surge"The first 22 years of Radelchis' rule saw relatively little expansion of the realm. After marrying the daughter of Duym of Pannonia he lost most of his armies helping his new ally on a disastrous attack on Suvar. The Dukes used the opportunity to challenge his rule. It is only by about 916 that the country is finally at peace long enough for Radelchis to start the surge he is known for.
Recent analysis of the Vatican archives show have unearthed trace of correspondance between Radelchis and Pope Marinus showing that Radelchis acted with the consent, if not the support of the Papacy. Radechlis' plan was audacious but simple: the dukes would never agree to the centralizing reforms he wanted in Lombardy. However, if he could be crowned Emperor of the Romans he would have free rein to establish the laws of the new realm. There was an itch however. Being Emperor required the support of the Pope, and the Pope would only crown someone whose realm was big enough to be able to claim leadership over Christendom.
To expand his realm, Radelchis looked north and west, to the war-torn Kingdoms of Germany and Burgundy. His first action was to recruit as bishop Walram Agilolfing, a man of poor piety, but who just happened to be the grandson of the Duke of Allemania. When, the Duke died, Radelchis marched with 10 thousands Lombard to Stuttgard in Würtenberg to install Walram on the throne, making him one of the first of a new breed of rules, the Prince-Bishops.
A map on the alpine region after installing Walram on the throne of Alemannia. As can be seen, most of the land herited by Walram was actually Swiss rather than Alemann.The duchy of Alemannia that Radelchis brought to the realm was only a shadow of its former self however. Ten years before, an uprising of Lollard heretic had taken over the counties of Ulm, Schwaben and Fürstenberg and unified them in a single, heretic principalty. This provided Radelchis with a golden opportunity however: under the custom of the times, land helb by heretic could be simply seized. Taking over Ulm thus gave Radelchis access to vast amount of land, both for his own use and to enfeoff to new nobles in exchange for service. In this way a clique of nobles, including François Hugonid, Feremund de Transjuranie and Unichis Alachisling ended up swearing fealty to Radalchis. By all comteporary accounts, those nobles didn't stand out by their courage or wisdom, but what they lacked in qualities, they made up in family connections. Soon, supported by Lombard men-at-arms, they would "liberate their rightful domains" of, respectively, Lower Lorraine, Savoy and Genève.
In this way the Kingdom of the Lombard expanded until it commanded the fealty of more lords in Burgundy and Germany than their
de jure kings. By early 941, Radelchis was happy enough that the Pope would grant him his crown. It was fated that he never would be Emperor though: as he was crossing the Alps toward Rome, Radelchis died. Despite the obvious political implication of his death, we actually do not know how he died, the chronicler only noting that he "fell asleep, never to wake up".
* Lombardy is gavelkind rather than elective in game, so I made that up to explain it. Adalgis is king at the start date.
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Topic: Paradox Interactive Succession Game World (From CKII to EUIV to Vic2 to HoI4) (Read 21597 times)