Pandulf Ironhead

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Pandulf I (also Randulf, Bandulf, Pandulph, Pandolf, Pandolfo, Paldolf, or Paldolfo), called Ironhead (Testa di Ferro, Testaferrata, or Capodiferro in Italian), was the prince of Benevento and Capua from 943 to 981. He was an important nobleman in the fight with the Byzantines and Moslems for control of the Mezzogiorno in the centuries after the collapse of Lombard and Carolingian authority in the peninsula. He established himself over almost the whole of the southern half of Italia before his death in March 981.

He co-reigned with his father from 943, when his grandfather Landulf I died, and with his brother Landulf III from 959. In 961, he and his brother became sole princes, though the elder Pandulf was by far the more domineering. The Chronicum Salernitanum affirms the co-regency, however, and the principle of the indivisibility of the united Capua-Benevento as declared by Atenulf I in 900, when it says Beneventanorum principatum eius filii Pandolfum et Landulfum bifarie regebant . . . communi indivisoque iure, that is "the Beneventan principality was reigned in jointly by Pandulf and Landulf under indivisible common jurisdiction." However, this system eventually collapsed and Pandulf ruled in Capua while Landulf ruled in Benevento.

In Autumn 966, Pope John XIII led a Roman-Tuscan-Spoletan army against them, but Gisulf I of Salerno came to their rescue and no battle was given. The pope and Gisulf made a treaty at Terracina in 968. In that year, Pandulf's brother John was made archbishop of Capua by John XIII. In 967, Emperor Otto I came down and gave him the duchy of Spoleto. Pandulf and Landulf took part in the campaign of 968, but Landulf retired in illness and died at Benevento leaving two sons: Pandulf and Landulf di Sant'Agata, both later princes of Benevento. The Chronicum says tenuit principatum una cum suo germanus annos octo, that is, "he had the principality solely with his brother for eight years." Then he cheated his nephews out of their patrimony and made himself sole prince, associated with him his own son Landulf. He then rejoined the imperial campaign. In that year, Otto left the siege of Bari in the charge of Pandulf, but the allied duke was captured in the Battle of Bovino (969) by the Byzantines. In 970, during his absence, the Byzantines besieged Capua and Marinus II of Naples ravaged the countryside. He was released later in the deal in which John Tzimisces, Byzantine emperor, gave Theophano in marriage to Otto's son Otto II. During his absence, the great principality had been administerd by the Archbishop Landulf of Benevento and the young Landulf, with help from his mother Aloara.

When Prince Gisulf of Salerno was deposed and removed from office by a religious insurrection led by his brother Landulf in 974, the Ironhead restored Gisulf as his vassal. Gisulf died heirless in 977 or 978 and Pandulf succeeded in Salerno.

He was married to Aloara of Capua. His lands were partitioned among their sons, who fought endlessly over the inheritance. His son Landulf IV received Capua and Benevento and Pandulf II received Salerno. Otto II came down to Rome in 981, however, and Spoleto was given to Thrasimund IV, duke of Camerino. Then, the Ironhead's nephew Pandulf was given Benevento in a partition of Landulf's territory, in which Landulf kept Capua. Finally, Duke Manso I of Amalfi dispossessed the younger Pandulf of Salerno and was confirmed in Amalfi by the Emperor. Soon he was given the duchy of Salerno by the Emperor after he unsuccessfully besieged it.

Pandulf had several other sons: Landenulf, who succeeded Landulf IV in Capua; Laidulf, who succeeded Landenulf; and Atenulf, who died at the Battle of Stilo on 13 July 982.

[edit] References

• Leyser, Karl. Communications and Power in Medieval Europe: The Carolingian and Ottonian Centuries. London, 1994.
• Gwatkin, H.M., Whitney, J.P. (ed) et al. The Cambridge Medieval History: Volume III. Cambridge University Press, 1926.
• Caravale, Mario (ed). Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani: LXIII Labroca – Laterza. Rome, 2004.

Preceded by Landulf II	Prince of Capua 961 – 981	Succeeded by Landulf IV
	Prince of Benevento 961 – 981
Preceded by Gisulf I	Prince of Salerno 978 – 981	Succeeded by Pandulf II
Preceded by Thrasimund III	Duke of Spoleto 967 – 981	Succeeded by Thrasimund IV