Bernard, Bishop of Gaeta
Encyclopedia
Bernard was the Bishop of Gaeta for fifty years from his appointment in 997 until his death. He was a member of the Docibilan dynasty which ruled the Duchy of Gaeta
from 867 to 1032. During his long episcopate he achieved the economic security of his see in the face of labour difficulties, annexed the Diocese of Traetto to his own in or soon after 999, and witnessed the decline and replacement of his family in Gaeta.
Bernard was a younger son of Duke Marinus II
. His appointment as bishop in 997 may have been intended to give the ruling dynasty control of the church in their city (where conflicts with prior bishops had not been uncommon) and/or contain the ambitions of a younger son. He soon showed his ambition when, after the death of Andreas, Bishop of Traetto, who last appears in documents in 999, he united the Traettan diocese to his own.
The first tests of Bernard's leadership were a couple of disputes in 999. He disputed the rights to Spinio (Spigno Vecchia) with his nephew, Count Daufer II of Traetto, but they came to an agreement and divided the place later that year. Then two famuli, John and Anatolius, sons of Passari Caprucce and his wife Benefacta, claimed they were free men while Bernard claimed they were slaves belonging the church of Gaeta. Bernard called in the assistance of the imperial
missus
of the region, Notticher, who travelled to Gaeta
, Traetto, and Castro Argento to settle other labour disputes which had arisen and were costing the diocese heavily. Bernard alludes to working refusing to work in his letter to Notticher. When the missus demanded that John and Anatolius submit to trial by combat
(unheard of in Gaeta, where Byzantine law
was the rule), they instead swore an oath that their mother had been a freewoman and paid a pound of gold, which Notticher accepted.
As early as 1002 Bernard had entered into friendly relations with his sister-in-law Emilia
. In that year he repaid her in land for the services she had done the church. When, in 1012, she became regent for her son, John V
, Bernard supported her against her opponents, Leo I
and Leo II
, and by 1025 she was victorious, largely due to Bernard. In 1014 Bernard represented John during arguments held between the counts of Traetto and the Abbey of Montecassino, a sign of his importance during the regency of Emilia, but also of the declining importance of the dukes of Gaeta (nominally) in their own duchy.
In Gaeta Bernard built the church of Saint John the Baptist, with financial help from some of the leading families of the city, in 1008. Bernard survived the conquest of Gaeta by Pandulf IV of Capua
in 1032 and continued on as bishop under successive Greek, Lombard
, and Norman governments until his death in 1047. He was succeeded, thanks to the remaining supporters of his family, by his nephew Leo, son of Leo II.
Duchy of Gaeta
The Duchy of Gaeta was an early medieval state centred on the coastal South Italian city of Gaeta. It began in the early ninth century as the local community began to grow autonomous as Byzantine power lagged in the Mediterranean and the peninsula thanks to Lombard and Saracen incursions.Our...
from 867 to 1032. During his long episcopate he achieved the economic security of his see in the face of labour difficulties, annexed the Diocese of Traetto to his own in or soon after 999, and witnessed the decline and replacement of his family in Gaeta.
Bernard was a younger son of Duke Marinus II
Marinus II of Gaeta
Marinus II was the son of Docibilis II of Gaeta and Orania of Naples. He was made dux of Fondi by his father and his elder brother John II recognised this title. After his brother Gregory, who succeeded John, died, Marinus succeeded to the duchy of Gaeta and gave Fondi to his son Marinus...
. His appointment as bishop in 997 may have been intended to give the ruling dynasty control of the church in their city (where conflicts with prior bishops had not been uncommon) and/or contain the ambitions of a younger son. He soon showed his ambition when, after the death of Andreas, Bishop of Traetto, who last appears in documents in 999, he united the Traettan diocese to his own.
The first tests of Bernard's leadership were a couple of disputes in 999. He disputed the rights to Spinio (Spigno Vecchia) with his nephew, Count Daufer II of Traetto, but they came to an agreement and divided the place later that year. Then two famuli, John and Anatolius, sons of Passari Caprucce and his wife Benefacta, claimed they were free men while Bernard claimed they were slaves belonging the church of Gaeta. Bernard called in the assistance of the imperial
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
missus
Missus dominicus
A missus dominicus , Latin for "envoy[s] of the lord [ruler]", also known in Dutch as Zendgraaf , meaning "sent Graf", was an official commissioned by the Frankish king or Holy Roman Emperor to supervise the administration, mainly of justice, in parts of his dominions too far for frequent personal...
of the region, Notticher, who travelled to Gaeta
Gaeta
Gaeta is a city and comune in the province of Latina, in Lazio, central Italy. Set on a promontory stretching towards the Gulf of Gaeta, it is 120 km from Rome and 80 km from Naples....
, Traetto, and Castro Argento to settle other labour disputes which had arisen and were costing the diocese heavily. Bernard alludes to working refusing to work in his letter to Notticher. When the missus demanded that John and Anatolius submit to trial by combat
Trial by combat
Trial by combat was a method of Germanic law to settle accusations in the absence of witnesses or a confession, in which two parties in dispute fought in single combat; the winner of the fight was proclaimed to be right. In essence, it is a judicially sanctioned duel...
(unheard of in Gaeta, where Byzantine law
Byzantine law
Byzantine Law was essentially a continuation of Roman Law with Christian influence, however, this is not to doubt its later influence on the western practice of jurisprudence...
was the rule), they instead swore an oath that their mother had been a freewoman and paid a pound of gold, which Notticher accepted.
As early as 1002 Bernard had entered into friendly relations with his sister-in-law Emilia
Emilia of Gaeta
Emilia was the duchess of Gaeta first as consort of John III and then as the regent for her grandson John V until at least 1029....
. In that year he repaid her in land for the services she had done the church. When, in 1012, she became regent for her son, John V
John V of Gaeta
John V was the consul and duke of Gaeta from 1012 to 1032. He was the son of John IV and Sichelgaita, sister of Sergius IV of Naples. He was either very young when he succeeded his father or perhaps he was even born posthumously.His regency was disputed by Leo, his father's brother, and the...
, Bernard supported her against her opponents, Leo I
Leo I of Gaeta
Leo I, called the Usurper, was the usurping consul and duke of Gaeta on two quite separate occasions. He was the son of one Docibilis, a relative of the Docibilian dynasty, probably a son of Duke Gregory....
and Leo II
Leo II of Gaeta
Leo II was the regent and tutor of John V of Gaeta in opposition to his own mother, Emilia, from 1014 to January 1025. He undersigned documents as consul et dux. He was the son of John III of Gaeta and thus uncle of John V....
, and by 1025 she was victorious, largely due to Bernard. In 1014 Bernard represented John during arguments held between the counts of Traetto and the Abbey of Montecassino, a sign of his importance during the regency of Emilia, but also of the declining importance of the dukes of Gaeta (nominally) in their own duchy.
In Gaeta Bernard built the church of Saint John the Baptist, with financial help from some of the leading families of the city, in 1008. Bernard survived the conquest of Gaeta by Pandulf IV of Capua
Pandulf IV of Capua
Pandulf IV was the Prince of Capua on three separate occasions.From February 1016 to 1022 he ruled in association with his cousin Pandulf II. In 1018, the Byzantine catapan Boiannes destroyed the Lombard army of Melus of Bari and his Norman allies at Cannae...
in 1032 and continued on as bishop under successive Greek, Lombard
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
, and Norman governments until his death in 1047. He was succeeded, thanks to the remaining supporters of his family, by his nephew Leo, son of Leo II.
Sources
- Skinner, Patricia. (1995). Family Power in Southern Italy: The Duchy of Gaeta and its Neighbours, 850-1139. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-46479-X.