Elena of Gallura
Encyclopedia
Elena was the daughter and successor of Barisone II of Gallura
and was named after her mother of the Lacon family. She ruled Gallura
from the death of her father until her own death, though she was eclipsed by her husband after 1207.
When Barisone died in 1202 or 1203, he left Elena and the giudicato under the protection of Pope Innocent III
, who wrote a letter to Biagio, Archbishop of Torres
, charging him with assuring a smooth succession in Gallura, which meant arranging a marriage for the young Elena. The prospect of interference from William I of Cagliari
, Comita III of Logudoro
, and Hugh I
and Peter I of Arborea
was great enough to incite a second letter to those judges, in which the pope told them to respect Biagio's authority in the matter. On 15 September 1203, Innocent admonished William to restrain a relative of his (the margrave William Malaspina) who was seeking Elena's hand and to get him out of Gallura. He was asked to guard Elena from making a poor match and especially to guard her from Ittocorre de Gunale, the brother of Comita of Logudoro. Both William and Comita were warned a second time to follow Biagio in the matter. Innocent desired a husband that would not be "suspect" to any of the judges.
In July 1204, Innocent wrote to Elena commending her for abiding by papal advice and admonishing her mother, Riccus, Archbishop of Cagliari
, and the people of Gallura to follow the decision of Biagio. The bishop of Cività
, the Gallurese capital, was sent to Rome
to receive papal instruction concerning the marriage prospects. William of Cagliari intervened again to remove a suitor, a certain unnamed margrave.
On 11 May 1206, Elena was informed that she would be marrying Trasimondo, a cousin of the pope's. In August, Innocent sent letters ordering the Sardinian episcopacy to go through with the marriage. Elena, however, refused him and instead married a Pisa
n named Lamberto Visconti di Eldizio
.
Elena died around 1218, when Lambert was engaged to Benedetta of Cagliari
. Her son Ubaldo II Visconti later succeeded to the Gallurese throne.
Barisone II of Gallura
Barisone II was the Judge of Gallura from about 1170 to his death. He was the son of Constantine III. His name appears in acts of 1182 and 1184....
and was named after her mother of the Lacon family. She ruled Gallura
Giudicato of Gallura
The Giudicato of Gallura was one of four Sardinian giudicati of the Middle Ages. These were de facto independent states ruled by judges bearing the title iudex . Gallura, a name which comes from gallus, meaning rooster , was subdivided into ten curatoriae governed by curatores under the judge...
from the death of her father until her own death, though she was eclipsed by her husband after 1207.
When Barisone died in 1202 or 1203, he left Elena and the giudicato under the protection of Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III was Pope from 8 January 1198 until his death. His birth name was Lotario dei Conti di Segni, sometimes anglicised to Lothar of Segni....
, who wrote a letter to Biagio, Archbishop of Torres
Biagio, Archbishop of Torres
Biagio was the Archbishop of Torres from 1 December 1202 to his death late 1214 or early 1215.He was originally from the diocese of Nevers. He went to Rome and became a subdeacon and then a papal notary before 1200. By the influence of Pope Innocent III, he was elected to the vacant see of Porto...
, charging him with assuring a smooth succession in Gallura, which meant arranging a marriage for the young Elena. The prospect of interference from William I of Cagliari
William I of Cagliari
William I was the giudice of Cagliari from 1188 to his death.William was one of the greatest of medieval Sardinian giudici...
, Comita III of Logudoro
Comita III of Torres
Comita III was the giudice of Logudoro, with its capital at Torres, from 1198 until 1218. He was the youngest of four sons of Barisone II of Torres and Preziosa de Orrubu...
, and Hugh I
Hugh I of Arborea
Hugh I Giudici of Arborea from 1185 CE until his death in 1211 CE. Hugh was the son of Ispella di Serra and Hugh I of Bas. He was a grandson -through his mother- of Barisone II of Arborea...
and Peter I of Arborea
Peter I of Arborea
Peter I , of the Serra family, was the eldest son and successor of Barisone II of Arborea, reigning from 1186 to his death. His mother was Barisone's first wife, Pellegrina de Lacon...
was great enough to incite a second letter to those judges, in which the pope told them to respect Biagio's authority in the matter. On 15 September 1203, Innocent admonished William to restrain a relative of his (the margrave William Malaspina) who was seeking Elena's hand and to get him out of Gallura. He was asked to guard Elena from making a poor match and especially to guard her from Ittocorre de Gunale, the brother of Comita of Logudoro. Both William and Comita were warned a second time to follow Biagio in the matter. Innocent desired a husband that would not be "suspect" to any of the judges.
In July 1204, Innocent wrote to Elena commending her for abiding by papal advice and admonishing her mother, Riccus, Archbishop of Cagliari
Riccus, Archbishop of Cagliari
Riccus or Ricco was the Archbishop of Cagliari in the early thirteenth century.In 1206, he requested the right to resign from Pope Innocent III, who simply enumerated the justifications for archiepiscopal resignation and left the decision up to Riccus...
, and the people of Gallura to follow the decision of Biagio. The bishop of Cività
Civita
Civita is a Norwegian liberal think tank which gains support from, among others, the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise. In the beginning, it was led by Terje Svabø, but prominent Conservative Party politician Kristin Clemet took over on November 16, 2006 after having central roles in many...
, the Gallurese capital, was sent to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
to receive papal instruction concerning the marriage prospects. William of Cagliari intervened again to remove a suitor, a certain unnamed margrave.
On 11 May 1206, Elena was informed that she would be marrying Trasimondo, a cousin of the pope's. In August, Innocent sent letters ordering the Sardinian episcopacy to go through with the marriage. Elena, however, refused him and instead married a Pisa
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 named Lamberto Visconti di Eldizio
Lamberto Visconti di Eldizio
Lamberto Visconti di Eldizio was the Judge of Gallura from 1206, when he married the heiress Elena, to his own death. He was a member of the Visconti family of Pisa and the first of that dynasty to rule in Sardinia, where they lasted in Gallura for almost another century.His grandfather, Alberto,...
.
Elena died around 1218, when Lambert was engaged to Benedetta of Cagliari
Benedetta of Cagliari
Benedetta was the daughter and heiress of William I of Cagliari and Adelasia, daughter of Moroello Malaspina. She succeeded her father in January or February 1214....
. Her son Ubaldo II Visconti later succeeded to the Gallurese throne.
Sources
- Ghisalberti, Aldo (ed). Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani: X Biagio – Boccaccio. Rome, 1968.
- Moore, John C. "Pope Innocent III, Sardinia, and the Papal State." Speculum, Vol. 62, No. 1. (Jan., 1987), pp 81–101.