Dipold, Count of Acerra

Diepoldsberg of Schweinspeunt (also Dipold of Schweinspeunt, Dipold of Acerra † after 1221 ) was a German Ministerialer and later Count of Acerra and Duke of Spoleto.

He came from a Bavarian ministerial family in the service of the Counts of Lech Gemuend. Frequently, however erroneous, its origin was given as Margrave or knight of the family of Vohburg.

Diepoldsberg accompanied the Emperor Henry VI. on his expedition to Rome in the year 1191st In the wake of the attack on the kingdom of Sicily Diepoldsberg was appointed the same year to the lord of the castle, situated within the province of Frosinone important border fortress of Rocca d' Arce. Despite the defeat of Henry and the associated withdrawal Diepoldsberg could defend with other imperial generals a beachhead in the Terra di Lavoro.

In the following years Diepoldsberg was able to expand his power base in Campania. From 1195 he is referred to as the Terra di Lavoro Counsel. In January 1197 he was promoted to the Count of Acerra. By his marriage policy Diepoldsberg could base his power on the basis of the local nobles. So Diepolds Buder Siegfried in 1199 married the daughter of the Count of Fondi. He married his own daughter to the Count of Caserta, just as his son with the daughter of Count Peter of Celanos.

In the power struggles during the minority of Frederick II Diepoldsberg represented one of the most important opponent of the papal forces dar. He was one of the supporters of the Regent Mark Ward of Annweiler. In 1205 he took the leader of the papal forces, Walter III. captured by Brienne, but it was the following year by Pope Innocent III a conspiracy. and the Chancellor Walters betrayed by Brienne's what II led to the arrest Diepolds after the handover of Frederick. But managed an escape in its common land on the mainland, according to Salerno. Despite his good relationship with Frederick II, he turned along with Apulian nobles whose opponent Otto IV, to whom he could convince them to invade the Kingdom of Sicily. Otto IV appointed him in 1210 to the Duke of Spoleto and expanded in 1211 Diepolds powers. However, he could not be kept up. In 1218 he was imprisoned by his son James of San Severino, passed to Frederick II and only released in 1221 after the transfer of shares held by family Diepolds positions of power.

According to the report of Alberic of Trois Fontaines is Diepoldsberg should have joined the Teutonic Order and lived for many years. The last recorded reference to Diepoldsberg dates from the year 1221st