Cunipert
Encyclopedia
Cunipert was king of the Lombards
from 688 to 700. He succeeded his father Perctarit
, though he was associated with the throne from 678.
He warred with the Arian
rebel Alagis, duke
of Trent
and Brescia
, who had fought his father and rebelled again in 688 after Perctarit died. He forced Cunipert to a castle on an island in the middle of Lake Como
, but his rule was burdensome and tyrannical, and so he lost the support of the people. Finally, in 689, Cunipter issued forth with the men of Piedmont
and defeated Alahis and the men of Venetia at the Battle of Coronate
, on the Horn of the Adda
, near Lodi. Alahis was vanquished and slain in battle.
Cunipert fought many more insurrections during his reign, including that of Ausfrid, usurper duke of Friuli
, whom he successfully subjected to his authority.
He also successfully fixed the schism
in the Italian
church between Aquileia
and Grado
.
He died in 700 and was succeeded by his young son Liutpert
, the regent
Ansprand
, and many rebels. Many wars took place during his reign. He is notably the first Lombard monarch to strike coins in his image.
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...
from 688 to 700. He succeeded his father Perctarit
Perctarit
Perctarit was king of the Lombards from 661 to 662 the first time and later from 671 to 688. He was the son and successor of Aripert I. He shared power with his brother Godepert. He was a Catholic, Godepert an Arian. He ruled from Milan, Godepert from Pavia...
, though he was associated with the throne from 678.
He warred with the Arian
Arianism
Arianism is the theological teaching attributed to Arius , a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt, concerning the relationship of the entities of the Trinity and the precise nature of the Son of God as being a subordinate entity to God the Father...
rebel Alagis, duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
of Trent
Trento
Trento is an Italian city located in the Adige River valley in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It is the capital of Trentino...
and Brescia
Brescia
Brescia is a city and comune in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, between the Mella and the Naviglio, with a population of around 197,000. It is the second largest city in Lombardy, after the capital, Milan...
, who had fought his father and rebelled again in 688 after Perctarit died. He forced Cunipert to a castle on an island in the middle of Lake Como
Lake Como
Lake Como is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardy, Italy. It has an area of 146 km², making it the third largest lake in Italy, after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore...
, but his rule was burdensome and tyrannical, and so he lost the support of the people. Finally, in 689, Cunipter issued forth with the men of Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
and defeated Alahis and the men of Venetia at the Battle of Coronate
Battle of Coronate
The Battle of Coronate took place in 689, after King Cunicpert returned from exile and ousted Alahis, Usurper King and Duke of Trent, from the capital Pavia.Duke Alahis, fled towards the east, into Austria. There he asssembled an army to march against the king...
, on the Horn of the Adda
Adda River
The Adda is a river in North Italy, a tributary of the Po. It rises in the Alps near the border with Switzerland and flows through Lake Como. The Adda joins the Po a few kilometres upstream of Cremona. It is 313 kilometres long...
, near Lodi. Alahis was vanquished and slain in battle.
Cunipert fought many more insurrections during his reign, including that of Ausfrid, usurper duke of Friuli
Friuli
Friuli is an area of northeastern Italy with its own particular cultural and historical identity. It comprises the major part of the autonomous region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, i.e. the province of Udine, Pordenone, Gorizia, excluding Trieste...
, whom he successfully subjected to his authority.
He also successfully fixed the schism
Schism (religion)
A schism , from Greek σχίσμα, skhísma , is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization or movement religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a break of communion between two sections of Christianity that were previously a single body, or to a division within...
in the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
church between Aquileia
Aquileia
Aquileia is an ancient Roman city in what is now Italy, at the head of the Adriatic at the edge of the lagoons, about 10 km from the sea, on the river Natiso , the course of which has changed somewhat since Roman times...
and Grado
Grado, Italy
Grado is a town and comune in the north-eastern Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located on a peninsula of the Adriatic Sea between Venice and Trieste....
.
He died in 700 and was succeeded by his young son Liutpert
Liutpert
Liutpert was the Lombard king of Italy from 700 and to 702, with interruption. Upon succeeding his father, King Cunincpert, at a young age, he ruled together with his tutor, Ansprand, the duke of Asti...
, the regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
Ansprand
Ansprand
Ansprand was king of the Lombards briefly in 712. Before that he was the duke of Asti and regent during the minority of Liutpert . He was defeated at Novara by Raginpert and exiled during the subsequent war over the succession, fleeing to the court of Theudebert, duke of Bavaria, in 702.In 711,...
, and many rebels. Many wars took place during his reign. He is notably the first Lombard monarch to strike coins in his image.