Anselm of Capraia
Encyclopedia
Anselm of Capraia was a Pisa
n count. His political activity extended from the Republic of Pisa
to Sardinia
.
Anselm was the son of Berthold, brother of William
and Anselm, all three of whom went to the court of Peter II of Arborea
to be educated. Anselm's mother was a daughter of Guelfo della Gherardesca, Count of Donoratico, and Uguccionella degli Uppezinghi.
Anselm was sent by the Commune of Pisa in 1273 to Gallura
to fight against the judge Giovanni Visconti, who had fled from Pisa recently. He defeated him in the hard-to-defend open plain between Trexenta
and Gippi. Anselm occupied the Visconti
estates, but it is not known if only those in the curatoria of Gippi or those in the third of Cagliari
which Giovanni had acquired as well. However, Giovanni evaded capture and returned to Tuscany
on a Sicilian
ship.
Anselm took over the reins of government in the Giudicato of Arborea after the imprisonment and assassination of his cousin Nicholas
by the real judge, Marianus II
. He attacked Marianus and tried to take over Cagliari, but was defeated and killed in 1287.
Anselm was married to Teccia, daughter of Gherardo della Gherardesca and Theodora, and niece of Ugolino
. He left one son, Anselm, who was reputed to be chivalrous and gracious. On account of jealousy for the affection of the Pisan populace, Ugolino had him poisoned. Ugolino may have even feared that the Pisans would choose to replace him with Anselm. This story is the basis for the passing mention of Anselm in Dante's
Inferno (where Anselm is not resident, but Ugolino is).
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
n count. His political activity extended from the Republic of Pisa
Republic of Pisa
The Republic of Pisa was a de facto independent state centered on the Tuscan city of Pisa during the late tenth and eleventh centuries. It rose to become an economic powerhouse, a commercial center whose merchants dominated Mediterranean and Italian trade for a century before being surpassed and...
to Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
.
Anselm was the son of Berthold, brother of William
William of Capraia
William of Capraia was the regent for Marianus II of Arborea from 1241 until his death, being entitled "Judge" from 1250 on.- Biography:...
and Anselm, all three of whom went to the court of Peter II of Arborea
Peter II of Arborea
Peter II was the Giudice of Arborea from 1221 to his death. He was also Peter IV, Viscount of Bas. He was "pious and submissive to the church" and his extensive "donations of privileges and judicial lands impoverished his state of glory."Peter's father, Hugh I, of the Bas family, died in 1211...
to be educated. Anselm's mother was a daughter of Guelfo della Gherardesca, Count of Donoratico, and Uguccionella degli Uppezinghi.
Anselm was sent by the Commune of Pisa in 1273 to Gallura
Gallura
Gallura is a region of northern Sardinia, Italy.The name Gallùra means "area located on high ground".-Geography:...
to fight against the judge Giovanni Visconti, who had fled from Pisa recently. He defeated him in the hard-to-defend open plain between Trexenta
Trexenta
Trexenta is a traditional subregion of Sardinia, Italy, located in the northern part of the province of Cagliari. It encompasses an area of c. 400 km², including 13 municipalities....
and Gippi. Anselm occupied the Visconti
House of Visconti
Visconti is the family name of two important Italian noble dynasties of the Middle Ages. There are two distinct Visconti families: The first one in the Republic of Pisa in the mid twelfth century who achieved prominence first in Pisa, then in Sardinia where they became rulers of Gallura...
estates, but it is not known if only those in the curatoria of Gippi or those in the third of Cagliari
Giudicato of Cagliari
The Giudicato of Cagliari was one of the four Sardinian giudicati of the Middle Ages. It covered the entire south and central east portion of the island and was composed of thirteen subdivisions called curatoriae. To its north and west lay Arborea and north and on the east lay Gallura and Logudoro...
which Giovanni had acquired as well. However, Giovanni evaded capture and returned to Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
on a Sicilian
Kingdom of Sicily
The Kingdom of Sicily was a state that existed in the south of Italy from its founding by Roger II in 1130 until 1816. It was a successor state of the County of Sicily, which had been founded in 1071 during the Norman conquest of southern Italy...
ship.
Anselm took over the reins of government in the Giudicato of Arborea after the imprisonment and assassination of his cousin Nicholas
Nicholas of Capraia
Nicholas of Capraia was the Judge of Arborea from 1264 to his assassination ten years later.Nicholas was the eldest son and successor of William of Capraia, who had usurped the judicial office of Arborea from Marianus II in 1255...
by the real judge, Marianus II
Marianus II of Arborea
Marianus II was the Giudici of Arborea from 1241 to his death. With skilled military action, he came to control more than half of the island of Sardinia...
. He attacked Marianus and tried to take over Cagliari, but was defeated and killed in 1287.
Anselm was married to Teccia, daughter of Gherardo della Gherardesca and Theodora, and niece of Ugolino
Ugolino della Gherardesca
Count Ugolino della Gherardesca , count of Donoratico, was an Italian nobleman, politician and naval commander. He was frequently accused of treason and features prominently in Dante's Divine Comedy.-Biography:...
. He left one son, Anselm, who was reputed to be chivalrous and gracious. On account of jealousy for the affection of the Pisan populace, Ugolino had him poisoned. Ugolino may have even feared that the Pisans would choose to replace him with Anselm. This story is the basis for the passing mention of Anselm in Dante's
Dante Alighieri
Durante degli Alighieri, mononymously referred to as Dante , was an Italian poet, prose writer, literary theorist, moral philosopher, and political thinker. He is best known for the monumental epic poem La commedia, later named La divina commedia ...
Inferno (where Anselm is not resident, but Ugolino is).