Grimoald I, king of the Lombards & Italy

Grimoald, King of the Lombards

Grimoald I (or Grimuald) (c. 610 – 671 CE) was duke of Benevento (647–662) and king of the Lombards (662–671).[1]

Grimoald was probably born before 610 to Duke Gisulf II of Friuli and the Bavarian princess Ramhilde, daughter of Duke Garibald I of Bavaria. He succeeded his brother Radoald in 646/7 as duke of Benevento.[2] In 641–42 CE, he and Radoald had served as regents for their mentally incapable adoptive brother, Duke Aiulf I.[2] Grimoald married the princess Theodota, daughter of King Aripert I. Their son was Garibald.

In 662, after being called to assist King Godepert in a war with his brother King Perctarit, Grimoald gave Benevento to his eldest son Romuald (662–677) and, removing the fraternal impediments to his kingship with the aid of Duke Garibald of Turin, assassinated Godepert and forced Perctarit to flee. He sent Perctarit's wife and son (Cunipert) to Benevento and took over the kingship of the Lombards. It was then that he promptly married Godepert's sister in order to relate himself to the Bavarian Dynasty of Theodelinda.

His martial prowess and skill in the field of battle secured his victory in many border wars. He led his armies to victory personally against the Byzantines under Emperor Constans II at the siege of Benevento, where they had been besieging the young Romuald, who betrothed his sister Gisa to Constans. Romuald then took Taranto and Brindisi, much limiting the Byzantine influence in the region during the rebellion of Mezezius in Sicily, which had distracted the Byzantines after Constans' death. Grimoald himself took Forlì, in the north, from the Greeks and razed Oderzo (but did not take it), where his brothers had been murdered years before. His capture of Forlì was shameful, however, for he took it on Easter Day, slaughtering worshippers during the festivities.

While he was combatting the Byzantines in the Mezzogiorno, he left Duke Lupus of Friuli as regent in the north. Lupus usurped all authority and rebelled, though he was crushed and, with the help of the Avars, his duchy despoiled and devastated. Grimoald tracked down Lupus' aspiring son Arnefrit, and his Slav allies, and defeated him at Nimis. Arnefrit died in battle. Grimoald placed Wechthari, a stalwart enemy of the Slavs, in Friuli.

Grimoald defeated the Franks, who invaded during the infancy of Chlothar III. Grimoald had allied with Perctarit at Asti and the Avars, of whom he had been a hostage in his youth. He saved the northeast of Italy by defeating the Slav tribes and maintained internal order by suppressing the baronial revolts and autonomy of the duchies of Friuli and of Spoleto, where he installed Thrasimund.

In his religion he remained Arian despite his marriage to a Catholic and he was aloof of the Papacy. However, he perceived Saint Michael — whose cult was spreading strongly from Monte Gargano— as the warrior-protector of the Lombard nation.

He died in 671 after concluding a treaty with the Franks and was succeeded by Perctarit, whom he had exiled. He was a popular ruler, known as much for the kingly virtues of generosity and mercy as for his ferocity and ruthlessness in war. His son Romuald was left in Benevento, which once again drifted away from central authority, and his son Garibald was not elected to succeed him on account of his youth and was deposed by the adherents of Perctarit's cause in three months time.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grimoald,_King_of_the_Lombards

http://fabpedigree.com/s036/f754967.htm

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3. GRIMOALD (-671, bur Ticino, Basilica of St Ambrosius). Paulus Diaconus names "Taso et Cacco iam adulescentes, Raduald…et Grimuald adhuc in puerili ætate" as the sons of "Gisulfus Foroiulanus dux", when recording Grimoald's difficulty in escaping after the death of their father[20]. Paulus Diaconus records that "Radoald…et Grimoald" went to Benevento to join "Arichis Beneventanorum ducem"[21]. He succeeded his brother in [647/48] as GRIMOALD I Duke of Benevento. Paulus Diaconus records that "Grimuald eius germanus" succeeded his brother Radoald and ruled for 25 years[22]. Godepert King of the Lombards sought help from Duke Grimoald in his dispute with his brother King Perctarit in 662, promising Grimoald the hand of their sister in marriage. He deposed King Godepert and installed himself as GRIMOALD King of the Lombards in 662[23]. He threatened to end the peace with the khan of the Avars unless they expelled ex-King Perctarit, the brother of King Godepert[24]. According to Paulus Diaconus, Grimoald defeated an invading army of Franks by leaving his camp unattended with food and wine and attacking the Franks after they had feasted[25]. The same source records that he avenged the murder of his older brothers by destroying the city of Opitergium, where they had been killed, and distributing its territories between Friulia, Tarvisium and Ceneta[26]. Paulus Diaconus also states that Lupus Duke of Friulia rebelled against King Grimoald but was defeated with the help of the Avars, who refused to return home until King Grimoald began assembling an army against them[27]. According to Paulus Diaconus, King Grimoald made a peace treaty with Dagobert II King of the Franks[28], but this report must be inaccurate as King Dagobert only succeeded as king five years after Grimoald died. Paulus reports that Grimoald died allegedly as a result of poisons applied by his doctors when wounds from a previous phlebotomy opened and bled, and was buried "in basilica beati Ambrosii"[29].

m firstly ITA, daughter of --- (-before [663]). Paulus Diaconus records that "Grimuald" had "Romualdum filium et duas filias" by "captiva puella, sed tamen nobili…Ita"[30].

m secondly ([663]%29 --- of the Lombards, daughter of ARIPERT I King of the Lombards & his wife ---. Paulus Diaconus records that "Grimuald" married "Ariperti regis filiam" soon after starting to rule at Ticino[31].

 Duke Grimoald & his first wife had two children:

Grimoald, langobardenes konge. Hertug av Benevento (647-662) og konge av frankerne (662-671).

Grimoald født ca. 610, foreldre hertug Gisulf II av Friuli og den bayerske prinsessen Ramhilde, datter av hertug Garibald I Bayern.

I 646/47 Ble han hertug av Benevento etter broren Radoald som hadde vært regent i 5 år.

Godepert fra Pavia var en langobardisk konge i Italia som regjerte fra 661 til 662. Han var eldste sønn og arving til kong Aripert 1. Godepert og hans bror Perctarit var på farens oppfordring valgt til å regjere sammen over langobardene. Godepert var tilhenger av den langobardiske arianske kristne tro, hadde kongesete i den gamle hovedstaden Pavia, mens hans bror, som var katolikk, regjerte fra Milano. Efter farens død utbrøt det straks stridigheter mellom de to kongene. Godepert søkte, - med hertugen av Torino Garibaldo som mellommann – hertugen av Benevento Grimoalds oppbakking, med løfte om å gi han sin søster som kone som betaling.

Men i stedet for hjelp marsjerte Grimoald med sine tropper til det nordlige Italia og fikk Godepert snikmyrdet i palasset i Pavia og satte sig selv på tronen. Godeperts bror og medkonge Perctarit flyktet straks til utlandet. Godepert unge sønn Raginpert ble senere kronet, men først efter Grimoald.

Ifølge Paulus Diaconus beseiret Grimoald en invaderende hær av frankerne når de forlater sin leir uovervåket med mat og vin, og de angriper frankerne etter at de hadde festet. I samme kilde skriver han at Grimoald hevnet mordet på sine eldre brødre da han raserte byen Opitergium der de ble drept, deretter tok han territorier mellom Friulia, Tarvisium og Ceneta. Paulus Diaconusalso sier at Lupus hertug av Friulia gjorde opprør mot kong Grimoald, men ble beseiret ved hjelp av avarerne, som nektet å komme hjem til kong Grimoald og begynte å bygge en hær mot dem.

Han skriver også at kong Grimoald laget en fredsavtale med Dagobert frankernes konge som etterfulgte den bare 5 år etter at Grimoald døde. Grimoald døde angivelig som et resultat av et giftstoff som ble brukt legene hans når tidligere sår åpnet seg og blødde. Han ble begravet "i basilika beati Ambrosii"

Grimoald var gift 2 ganger først med Ita /Uta fra Bayern 3 barn kjennes, andre gang ca 662 med prinsessen Theodota datter av kong Aripert. De hadde sønnen Garibald,

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grimoald,_King_of_the_Lombards