Zotto

Zotto (also: Zoto, Zottone, Zotone ) ( † spring 591 in Benevento ), in the years was 571-591 Duke of Benevento.

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 the advancing southward Lombards Zotto took over this role, which was initially under the formal sovereignty of the first two Longobard kings Alboin and Cleph. The city of Benevento was 571 seat of the dux ( duke ) Zotto. During the ten-year kingless interregnum which followed the death Clephs ( 574-584 ) he was able to govern totally sovereign. He led the fight against Byzantium continued to expand his territory. In the year 577 he devastated about Campania, in particular Aquino and the monastery of Monte Cassino were heavily affected. The monks of the monastery - like many other Catholic priests in the area, who saw in the Arian conquerors heretics - fled to Rome and the Byzantine remaining port cities. But already 579 besiege the Lombards first time, Rome and Naples two years later, without being able to occupy these towns. Even after the re-establishment of the Lombard kingdom in 584 by Authari ( 584-590 ) retains Zotto, until his death in the spring of 591, its independent status. As Zotto died 591, sat Agilulf ( 590-615 ), king of the Lombards, a native of Friuli Arichis I as his successor one.

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
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