Faroald I of Spoleto

Faroald I ( also Faruald; † 591 ) was 570-591 dux of the Lombard Duchy of Spoleto.

Life

The Lombards invaded in 570, coming from the north, in Central Italy, and pushed it the Byzantines to their fortified places on the coast back. For larger battles did not happen, but there was a penetration of the country by so-called farae, larger migratory associations of the Lombards, who were settlers and armed troops at the same time and each under the guidance of a leader who after the completion of land acquisition to the Duke of each occupied territory been. For advancing to Spoleto Lombards Faroald took over this role, who was initially under the formal sovereignty of the first two Longobard kings Alboin and Cleph, during the ten-year kingless interregnum which followed the death Clephs ( 574-584 ) but fully sovereign reigned. He led the fight against Byzantium continued to expand his territory.

Faroald conquered by 570 first the areas of Norcia, Spoleto and Amiternum, where he ruthlessly took action against Catholic clergy and, eg, in Spoleto replaced by Arian bishops.

Classis, the port of Ravenna, was pillaged 579 of Faroald. On November 26, 579 Pope Pelagius II was consecrated without confirmation by the emperor, since Rome was at this time of the Lombards, probably under Faroalds guide, besieged.

To 585 the Lombard dux Droctulft had defected to the Byzantines and freed 588 on behalf of the patricius Smaragdus the port Classis by the Lombards. Then joined King Authari Smaragdus with a 3-year peace.

Faroald had ( at least) two sons, one of whom, Theudelapius, later was also dux of Spoleto.

As Faroald 591 Ariulf became his successor died.

Swell

• Paul the Deacon, Historia Langobardorum, ed. Ludwig Bethmann and Georg Waitz, in: Monumenta Historica Germaniae, Scriptores rerum et Langobardicarum Italicarum SAEC. VI -IX, Hahn, Hannover 1878