Ferdulf of Friuli
Encyclopedia
Ferdulf, originally from Liguria
, was the Duke of Friuli
very briefly in 705. Paul the Deacon
accused him of using "trickery" to seize the duchy after the death of Duke Ado
.
He was said to have desired "the glory of a victory over the Slavs" (Paul, VI, xxiv). He paid some Slavs to invade his country in order that he might fend them off, but some of the Slav army raided the pastureland and carried off livestock as booty. Argait, the local magistrate, or sculdahis, chased them, but could not overtake them. A few days later, the real Slav army which Ferdulf had paid arrived and took up a position on a hill. Ferdulf initially decided to try to challenge them on more level ground, but Argait charged up the hill and, fearful of being labelled a coward, Ferdulf followed. The entire Lombard cavalry was killed and the Friulian nobility decimated. Both Argait and Ferdulf died.
Liguria
Liguria is a coastal region of north-western Italy, the third smallest of the Italian regions. Its capital is Genoa. It is a popular region with tourists for its beautiful beaches, picturesque little towns, and good food.-Geography:...
, was the Duke of Friuli
Duke of Friuli
The dukes and margraves of Friuli were the rulers of the Duchy and March of Friuli in the Middle Ages.The dates given below, when contentious, are discussed in the articles of the respective dukes.-Lombard dukes:* 568–c.584 Grasulf I...
very briefly in 705. 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:...
accused him of using "trickery" to seize the duchy after the death of Duke Ado
Ado of Friuli
Ado was the Duke of Friuli after the usurper Ausfrid was defeated at Verona in 694. According to Paul the Deacon, he was a brother of the former duke Rodoald and ruled for a year and seven months. The actual length of his reign is disputed, as is the year of its occurrence...
.
He was said to have desired "the glory of a victory over the Slavs" (Paul, VI, xxiv). He paid some Slavs to invade his country in order that he might fend them off, but some of the Slav army raided the pastureland and carried off livestock as booty. Argait, the local magistrate, or sculdahis, chased them, but could not overtake them. A few days later, the real Slav army which Ferdulf had paid arrived and took up a position on a hill. Ferdulf initially decided to try to challenge them on more level ground, but Argait charged up the hill and, fearful of being labelled a coward, Ferdulf followed. The entire Lombard cavalry was killed and the Friulian nobility decimated. Both Argait and Ferdulf died.