Judicate of Gallura Iudicatus Gallurae Gallura | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11th century–1296 | |||||||||
 Coat of arms | |||||||||
.svg) Gallura | |||||||||
| Capital | Civita | ||||||||
| Common languages | Sardinian,Latin | ||||||||
| Religion | Roman Catholic | ||||||||
| Government | Judicate (kingdom) | ||||||||
| Judge | |||||||||
• 1020 - 1040 | Manfred of Gallura | ||||||||
• 1200 - 1225 | Elena of Gallura | ||||||||
• 1276 - 1296 | Nino Visconti | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Established | 11th century | ||||||||
• Disestablished | 1296 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
TheJudicate of Gallura (Latin:Iudicatus Gallurae,Sardinian:Judicadu de Gallura,Italian:Giudicato di Gallura) was one of fourSardinian judicates in theMiddle Ages. These were independent states whose rulers bore the titleiudex, judge. Gallura, a name which comes fromgallus, meaningrooster (cock), was subdivided into tencuratoriae governed bycuratores under the judge. In the 13th century, thearms of Gallura contained a rooster.
Gallura encompasses the northeast region of the island, with its main city atOlbia. The firstiudices of Gallura only appear in the historical record late in the eleventh century, though certain rulers of earlier periods are known. Gallura, like all the other Sardinian kingdoms, initially owed allegiance to theArchdiocese of Pisa, but unlike most of the others it remained relatively steadfast in its support of Pisa, probably due to its proximity to the city of Pisa itself. For this reason, it was often in alliance with theKingdom of Cagliari in the south.
Gallura began as a province of theEastern Roman or Byzantine Empire. After the Arab conquest ofSicily in 827 AD, Sardinia was effectively cut off from regular communication with the imperial government inConstantinople. Unable to receive instruction or support from the empire, the provincial Byzantine magistrates, who were known asiudices (meaning "judges"; the Latin word evolved into the medieval Sardinian "Judicados"), continued to rule autonomously. By the 9th Century a single archontate was formed to govern the entire island, still nominally a byzantine province. It's theorized that familiares of the archon were established as dignitaries in the Sardinian provinces. Those dignitaries what were initially appointed, perhaps even elected, positions in Gallura eventually evolved into hereditary ones by the 11th century.
From the mid-ninth to the early eleventh centuries, little is known at all about Gallura, but around 1050 appears a figure namedManfred who was certainly not the first independent ruler (that appears to be oneBaldo). Modern theories generally assume that these early rulers were Pisan governors sent by the Republic. In a letter ofPope Gregory VII dated 1074, he refers toConstantine I of Gallura, probably a member of theGherardeschi clan. There are legends surrounding Constantine's relationship with the powerfulCorsicanlords of Cinarca. Whatever his relationship to his predecessors and successors, the dynasty which was to dominate Gallura in the early twelfth century comes into view only around 1100, when the Pisans were expelled by theThori dynasty, which sat on the throne throughTorchitorio I.
The last decades of the eleventh century and the opening ones of the twelfth were dominated in Italy and Germany by theGregorian reforms and theInvestiture Controversy, among other attempts to restructure church-state relations. The popes, through Pisan archbishops, sought to extend their authority directly over Sardinia. In this they were aided by various monastic movements — including theBenedictine,Camaldolese,Vallombrosan, andCassinese sects — which were supported by theiudices. These monks introduced important economic, agricultural, technological, artistic, ecclesiastic, and social advancements, developments, and transformations in Sardinia.
The reign of Torgodorio's son,Saltaro, was briefly interrupted for three years byIttocorre de Gunale, but the dynasty was restored byConstantine II, who was succeeded byComita I. Around 1130, Comita joinedGonario II of Torres andConstantine I of Arborea in paying homage to the Pisan archdiocese. On 26 June 1132, Comita went toArdara, the judicial palace of theGiudicato of Logudoro, to do homage directly toArchbishop Roger and thus confirmed the supremacy of the Logudoresegiudicato. The ties to Pisa were re-established and they were to endure. Comita was succeeded byConstantine III, probably a son of Ittocorre and thus the first Gallureseiudex of theLacon dynasty.
Constantine was succeeded by his sonBarisone II, who left an only daughter,Elena, in 1203. This opened Gallura to a succession crisis as rival factions sought the hand of Elena in marriage.William Malaspina tried to marry her, butPope Innocent III forbade it. In 1206,William I of Cagliari invaded Gallura. Finally, in 1207, Elena married the PisanLamberto Visconti. Lamberto repulsed the invasion and secured Gallura in the Pisan fold.
In 1211,Comita III of Torres confirmed a treaty with theRepublic of Genoa, Pisa's traditional rival for Sardinian influence, whereby the two powers — Logudoro and Genoa — jointly conquered the entire island and put it under Genoese suzerainty with Comita as judge. They first invaded Gallura because of its strong Pisan connection. In 1212, Pisa struck back, but it was not until William of Cagliari's death in 1214 that Gallura was able to defeat Comita and Genoa and force them to terms on land. A naval war continued untilPope Honorius III forced a treaty on the parties on 1 December 1217.
After Elena's death, Lamberto continued to rule Gallura and eventually married the heiress of Cagliari, ruling bothgiudicati until his death in 1225. He was succeeded by his sonUbaldo in Gallura and by his brotherUbaldo in Cagliari. When the elder Ubaldo died, the younger tried to take over Cagliari but failed. In 1236, Logudoro was finally acquired by marriage toAdelasia. Ubaldo died in 1238 and his widow marriedEnzio, illegitimate son ofFrederick II, Holy Roman Emperor. Enzio took up the royal title over all Sardinia, but Ubaldo's sonJohn succeeded him in Gallura, passing his time back and forth between the island and Pisa. This was also the habit of his son and successor,Nino. Following theBattle of Meloria, a disaster for Pisa, in 1284, Nino tried to take power in the city, but was ousted and deposed from Gallura in 1287. This marked the end of the Visconti rule in Gallura which had begun in 1207.
Pisa annexed Gallura and held it until theAragoneseconquest in 1323 – 1324. Nino's only daughter,Joanna, continued to claim her rights until her death in 1339, at which point the title to Gallura passed to the Visconti ofMilan, who ceded it to theCrown of Aragon.
The history of Gallura is based on slender documentation, almost all of it assembled in the archives of Pisa and Genoa and viewing Arborea and the other Sardinian kingdoms through a colonial lens. The evaluation of political figures has traditionally been made on the basis of military accomplishment, whereas Nowé points out that the ecclesiastical policy of the rulers of Sardinia was just as important in determining the stability, peacefulness, and long-term success of thejudicados in the face of colonialism.
