Faroald I (died 591 or 592) was the first Duke of Spoleto, which he established during the decade of interregnum

Rule of the Dukes

The Rule of the Dukes was an interregnum in the Lombard Kingdom of Italy during which Italy was ruled by the Lombard dukes of the old Roman provinces and urban centres...

 that followed the death of Alboin

Alboin

Alboin was king of the Lombards from about 560 until 572. During his reign the Lombards ended their migrations by settling in Italy, the northern part of which Alboin conquered between 569 and 572...

's successor (574 or 575). He led the Lombards

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...

 into the centre of the Italian peninsula while Zotto

Zotto

Zotto was the military leader of the Lombards in the Mezzogiorno. He is generally considered the founder of the Duchy of Benevento in 571 and its first duke : “…Fuit autem primus Langobardorum dux in Benevento nomine Zotto, qui in ea principatus est per curricula viginti annorum…” Zotto (also...

 led them into the south.

In 579, he sacked Classis, the harbour of Ravenna

Ravenna

Ravenna is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and the second largest comune in Italy by land area, although, at , it is little more than half the size of the largest comune, Rome...

. Between 584 and 588, Classis was retaken by Droctulf

Droctulf

Droctulf was a Byzantine general of Suevic or Alemannic origin. According to Paul the Deacon, Historia Langobardorum, he was raised with among the Lombards, with whom he entered the Italian peninsula in 569...

.

His sons fought over the duchy in 602 and Theudelapius

Theodelap of Spoleto

Theodelap was one of the sons of Faroald, the first Duke of Spoleto. After the death, in 601 or 602, of Ariulf, Theodelap and his brother fought for the throne and, after his victory, Theodelap was crowned duke. He held the dukedom for more than half a century, until his death...

 was victorious.

Sources

• Paul the Deacon
  Paul the Deacon
  Paul the Deacon , also known as Paulus Diaconus, Warnefred, Barnefridus and Cassinensis, , was a Benedictine monk and historian of the Lombards.-Life:...
  
  . Historia Langobardorum. Available at Northvegr.