Pando of Capua
Encyclopedia
Pando the Rapacious was the second son of Landulf I of Capua
and brother of Lando I
. When his father died (843), Lando succeeded to the countship, but Pando and their younger brother Landulf
were associated as co-rulers (with no real power). In fact, he went to Salerno
, where he became a marepaphias
(or marepahissatum/marepahis, a Byzantine function).
On Lando's death, his son, Lando II
succeeded him, but Pando deposed him (861) and sent him to govern Caiazzo, taking up the countship of Capua and declaring himself independent from the Prince of Salerno (862). He did not reign for long, however, and his reign was spent mostly in war for his usurped throne; wars in which he was "rapacious". He destroyed the city of Caserta
(c.863) and captured his nephew Landenulf (Lando II's brother) and forty other primarii (leading men) of the city. He then built a large, defensive tower around which modern Caserta was built. That tower is now included in the Palazzo della Prefettura, once seat of the counts of Caserta and, later, a royal residence.
Pando died in battle and was succeeded by his son Pandenulf
, who was deposed, while his younger son Landenulf became bishop of Capua in 879. Pandenulf later became the first of a line of counts of Caserta.
Landulf I of Capua
Landulf I , called the Old, was the first gastald of Capua of his illustrious family, which would rule Capua until 1058. According to the Cronaca della dinastia di Capua, he ruled in Old Capua for twenty five years and four months and in New Capua for another year and eight months...
and brother of Lando I
Lando I of Capua
Lando I was the count of Capua from 843. He was the eldest son and successor of Landulf the Old. Like his father, he supported Siconulf against Radelchis in the civil war dividing the Principality of Benevento in the 840s....
. When his father died (843), Lando succeeded to the countship, but Pando and their younger brother Landulf
Landulf II of Capua
Landulf II was Bishop and Count of Capua. He was the youngest of four sons of Landulf I, gastald of Capua. As a young man, he entered the church. When his father died, his eldest brother, Lando, succeeded him....
were associated as co-rulers (with no real power). In fact, he went to Salerno
Salerno
Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
, where he became a marepaphias
Marepaphias
Marepaphias was a Lombard title of Germanic origin meaning "master of the horse," probably somewhat analogous to the Latin title comes stabuli or constable...
(or marepahissatum/marepahis, a Byzantine function).
On Lando's death, his son, Lando II
Lando II of Capua
Lando II, called Cyruttu, was the count of Capua briefly for six months in 861. He was the eldest son and successor of Lando I.In May 859, a massive joint expedition of Salerno, Naples, Amalfi, and Suessola marched on Capua. Lando I was in a paralysis at that time and his son Lando II took up arms...
succeeded him, but Pando deposed him (861) and sent him to govern Caiazzo, taking up the countship of Capua and declaring himself independent from the Prince of Salerno (862). He did not reign for long, however, and his reign was spent mostly in war for his usurped throne; wars in which he was "rapacious". He destroyed the city of Caserta
Caserta
Caserta is the capital of the province of Caserta in the Campania region of Italy. It is an important agricultural, commercial and industrial comune and city. Caserta is located on the edge of the Campanian plain at the foot of the Campanian Subapennine mountain range...
(c.863) and captured his nephew Landenulf (Lando II's brother) and forty other primarii (leading men) of the city. He then built a large, defensive tower around which modern Caserta was built. That tower is now included in the Palazzo della Prefettura, once seat of the counts of Caserta and, later, a royal residence.
Pando died in battle and was succeeded by his son Pandenulf
Pandenulf of Capua
Pandenulf was the Count of Capua, claiming that title from 862 and holding it successfully during the tumultuous civil war of 879 – 882. He was the son and successor of Pando, but was removed on his father's death by his uncle the bishop, Landulf II....
, who was deposed, while his younger son Landenulf became bishop of Capua in 879. Pandenulf later became the first of a line of counts of Caserta.
Sources
- ErchempertErchempertErchempert was a monk of Monte Cassino in the final quarter of the ninth century. He chronicled a history of Lombard Benevento, giving especially vivid account of the violence surrounding his monastic retreat in his own day. The work, Historia Langobardorum Beneventanorum, stops in the winter of...
. Historia Langabardorvm Beneventarnorvm at The Latin LibraryThe Latin LibraryThe Latin Library is a website that collects public domain Latin texts. The texts have been drawn from different sources. Many were originally scanned and formatted from texts in the Public Domain. Others have been downloaded from various sites on the Internet . Most of the recent texts have been...
. - Caserta: History, art and culture.
- Chronica S. Benedicti Casinensis at Institut für Mittelalter Forschung