Benedetta of Cagliari facts for kids
Benedetta (born around 1194, died 1232 or 1233) was an important ruler in Sardinia. She was the daughter and only child of William I of Cagliari, who was a powerful judge. When her father passed away in early 1214, Benedetta became the ruler of Cagliari.
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Becoming a Ruler
A New Leader for Cagliari
In 1214, Benedetta officially became the ruler of Cagliari. This special ceremony was led by Archbishop Riccus of Cagliari. Many important church leaders and nobles were there. During the ceremony, Benedetta promised to protect her land and castles. She also promised not to make deals with other countries without her people's agreement.
Marriage and Joint Rule
Soon after, on June 14, Benedetta married Barisone III of Arborea. He was the son of Peter I, whom Benedetta's father had kept in prison. Barisone took the new name "Torchitorio V." Together, they ruled both Cagliari and Arborea, which were two important areas in Sardinia. They worked as a team, and their names appeared on official documents for both regions. Benedetta also showed respect to the Pope, promising to follow his guidance.
Challenges and Conflicts
Supporting Her People
Benedetta and her husband, along with church leaders, gave many gifts to local churches. Benedetta wanted to help the people of Sardinia. She chose Sardinians for government jobs instead of people from Pisa, a powerful Italian city. She also focused on making Sardinia's economy strong, rather than helping Pisa's economy. This made Pisa very unhappy.
Trouble with Pisa
In 1215, Pisa decided to act. Lambert Visconti, who was the judge of Gallura (another part of Sardinia), brought a large army to Cagliari. They took over a high hill called S. Gilla and built a fort there. Benedetta had to leave her capital city and go to the countryside for safety.
In 1216, Benedetta tried to make peace with Pisa by giving a gift to their main church. But it didn't work. In 1217, Lambert's brother, Ubald I Visconti, forced Benedetta to give up Cagliari. She got her land back, but only as a "fief," meaning she had to follow Pisa's rules.
Fighting Back
However, the fighting between Sardinians and Pisans in Cagliari got worse. Benedetta and Barisone decided to team up with Comita III of Torres (another Sardinian ruler) and the Republic of Genoa. They hoped to push the Pisans out of Sardinia.
Papal Support and Later Marriages
The Pope Steps In
Benedetta found a strong ally in Pope Honorius III. The Pope supported her against Pisa. In 1217, he stopped a Pisan bishop from becoming the Archbishop of Cagliari. Instead, he sent his own representative, Ugolino dei Conti, to Sardinia. The Pope also encouraged Milan, another Italian city, to help Marianus II of Torres, who was also against Pisa.
A New Marriage, A New Challenge
In 1218, Benedetta's husband, Barisone, passed away. To try and bring peace, Ubald I Visconti arranged for Benedetta to marry Lambert, the very person who had attacked Cagliari before. They married on April 9, 1220. However, the Pope immediately said the marriage was not allowed.
Promises to the Pope
In December 1224, Benedetta again promised her loyalty to the Pope through his representative, Goffredo. She agreed to pay a yearly amount of silver to the Pope. She also promised not to marry again without the Pope's permission. If she died without children, the Pope would inherit Cagliari.
Peace and New Conflicts
The next few years were peaceful. In 1225 and 1226, Benedetta included her son, William, in official documents about gifts to churches. But in 1226, war started again with Ubaldo II, who was Lambert's heir.
To protect herself from Ubaldo, Benedetta married two more times without the Pope's permission. Her third husband (in 1227) was Enrico di Ceola, a Pisan. Her fourth husband was Rinaldo de Glandis, and this marriage was declared valid.
However, the fighting in Cagliari forced Benedetta to move from her castle to her family's old home in Massa. She passed away there in late 1232 or early 1233. After her death, Pope Gregory IX gave some of her lands to others. Cagliari was divided among powerful Pisan families. Benedetta's son, William, was her heir, but he never truly ruled. Her sister Agnes and her husband, Marianus of Torres, managed the land for him.
