Grimoald III of Benevento
Grimoald III. (also Grimuald, Grimvald, Grimoldus; * before 773; † April 806) was 788-806 dux gentis Langobardorum ( duke of the Lombards ) in the Duchy of Benevento.
Life
Origin and Youth
He is the only surviving son of the father of the Duke Arichis II of Benevento and the Adelperga, daughter of King Desiderius.
To 787 Arichis II sent his son Romuald with gifts to Charlemagne, who was in Rome in order to reaffirm his allegiance to the Franks. Probably at the instigation of Pope Hadrian I. Charles Romuald took hostage and marched to Capua to Benevento a while Arichis withdrew into the heavily fortified Salerno. Then Arichis sent his son Grimoald to Charles, who was able to negotiate a peace treaty which provided a personal oath of allegiance and an annual tribute of 7000 solidi. The cities Arce, Aquino, Arpino, Sora, Teano and Capua should be ceded to the Papal States, which Rome and Naples were connected by a wide " corridor ". Grimoald III. followed as a hostage of his father Charlemagne the Franks, while Romuald was released. The Frankish- Byzantine alliance ended and so did not pass Arichis the cities to the Pope, but is instead an alliance with Byzantium and there his exiled brother Adelchis have closed.
Rule
Arichis died on 26 August 787, but Charlemagne hesitated Grimoald III. , The rightful heir to dismiss held hostage to Benevento. Adelperga took over for a few months, the regency until Grimoald III. , Recognized the suzerainty of Charles and swore an oath of allegiance, beginning 788 Duke of Benevento and Salerno was.
A Byzantine army under the sacellarius (Treasurer) John the patricius Theodorus of Sicily and 788 Adelchis landed in Calabria and devastated the Benevento. Grimoald moved with dux Hildeprand of Spoleto and its contingent and some Franks under Charlemagne authorized representative Wineghisus ( Winigis ) stood against the invaders and defeated them in a loss-making for the Byzantines battle. In addition to the Commander in Chief John, 4,000 Greeks fell and his 1,000 taken prisoner.
To 790 Grimoald formed an alliance with the Byzantines and married Euanthia, a granddaughter of St.. Philaretos and sister of Emperor Constantine VI. , What a Frankish intervention conjured up. King Pippin, Charles' son and deputy in Italy, devastated the 791 Benevento. 792 his brother supported him King Louis of Aquitaine, in a second campaign, which was canceled because of a famine. Since 792 Grimoald bore the title princeps and on his coins the name of Charlemagne was no longer mentioned. In documents he had the title Grimoalt summo magno princ Langobardorum genti ( Grimoald, the highest prince of the Lombard people ). To let 795 Grimoald divorced Euanthia and sent them back home.
In late summer, 800, Charlemagne sent his son Pippin again for a campaign in Benevento, which was also unsuccessful. In the year 802 Grimoald besieged the Frankish comes ( count ) or dux ( duke ) Winnigis of Spoleto in Luceria, took him prisoner and brought him after a year again.
Grimoald III. died in April 806 and was buried in the Cathedral of Salerno alongside his father and his brothers.
Swell
Annales regni Francorum ( to the years 787, 788, 802 and 803 )