Arduin Glaber (,'' Glabrione'', or'' il Glabro'', meaning "the Bald"; died c. 977) was count of
Auriate from c. 935, count of Turin from c. 941/942, and
Margrave of Turin from c. 950/964. He placed his dynasty, the
Arduinici, on a firm foundation and established the march of Turin through conquests and royal concessions. The ''
Chronicon Novaliciense'', the chronicle of the abbey of
Novalesa, is the primary source for his life.
[M. G. Bertolini, "Arduino", ''Dizionario biografico degli Italiani'', VI (Rome: Società Grafica Romana, 1964), 49–52.]
Biography
Arduin was the eldest son of Roger, Count of Auriate (r. c. 906 – c. 935), a
Frankish nobleman who immigrated to Italy in the early tenth century. The medieval county of
Auriate comprised the region bounded by the
Alps
The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia.
...
, the
Po River
The Po ( , ) is the longest river in Italy. It flows eastward across northern Italy, starting from the Cottian Alps. The river's length is , or if the Maira (river), Maira, a right bank tributary, is included. The headwaters of the Po are forme ...
, and the
Stura, today the regions of the
Saluzzese and
Cuneese.
[ Arduin succeeded his father as count of Auriate sometime around 935, but he is not documented as Count Arduin (''Ardoino comes'') until 13 April 945, when he sat in judgement at a conference ('' placitum'') of Count Lanfranc at ]Pavia
Pavia ( , ; ; ; ; ) is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, in Northern Italy, south of Milan on the lower Ticino (river), Ticino near its confluence with the Po (river), Po. It has a population of c. 73,086.
The city was a major polit ...
in the presence of King Lothair II.
County of Turin
Around 940 Arduin campaigned in the Susa Valley against the Saracens who were occupying Alpine passes. He gained control of the valley and brought Novalesa back under Christian control. He built the first castle at Avigliana
Avigliana (; ; ) is a town and (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Piedmont region of Italy, with 12,129 inhabitants as of 1 January 2023. It lies about west of Turin in the Susa valley, on the motorway going from Turin to ...
as part of his Susa Valley defences. Sometime between 941 and 950, Arduin was made count of Turin. Since King Hugh exiled Berengar of Ivrea and abolished the March of Ivrea, which included Turin, in 941, it is probable that Hugh bestowed the county on Arduin at this time. Turin was the principal residence for Arduin and his dynasty from this point on.
Relationship with Berengar of Ivrea
After he was exiled, Berengar of Ivrea went to the court of Otto I of Germany, where he was present from January 942. He returned to Italy soon afterwards and strengthened his position. In a diploma issued in Hugh's reign (March/April 945), Berengar is referred to as Hugh's ''summus consiliarius'' (highest counsellor). Berengar was particularly dominant during the brief reign of Hugh's son, and successor, Lothair II of Italy
Lothair II (926/8 – 22 November 950), often Lothair of Arles, was the King of Italy from 947 to his death. He was of the noble Frankish lineage of the Bosonids, descended from Boso the Elder. His father and predecessor was Hugh of Provenc ...
, who was married to Adelaide
Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...
. In June 948, Berengar was described as Lothair's ''consors regni'' (partner in the kingdom). After Lothair's death (probably from poison), Berengar became king of Italy (15 December 950). Arduin Glaber was on good terms with Berengar during the period of his political ascendance. On 13 November 950, he was given the administration of the abbey of Novalesa, legally by Lothair, but probably through Berengar.
Relationship with Emperor Otto I
Arduin also managed to be on good terms with Otto I, who forcibly replaced Berengar as king of Italy. When Otto I invaded Italy, Arduin switched sides during the siege of Canossa and began to support Otto. Many contemporary sources discuss Arduin's role in the siege of Canossa, including Donizo's ''Vita Mathildis''. Arduin later cultivated a marital alliance with Adalbert Atto of Canossa, whose daughter Prangarda married his son and successor, Manfred I.[ As a reward for his support, Otto I later appointed Arduin count of Asti.
]
Margrave of Turin
The march of Turin consisted of the counties of Auriate, Turin
Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...
, Asti
Asti ( , ; ; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) of 74,348 inhabitants (1–1–2021) located in the Italy, Italian region of Piedmont, about east of Turin, in the plain of the Tanaro, Tanaro River. It is the capital of the province of Asti and ...
, Albenga
Albenga (; ) is a city and ''comune'' situated on the Gulf of Genoa on the Italian Riviera in the Province of Savona in Liguria, northern Italy.
Albenga has the nickname of ''city of a hundred spires''. The economy is mostly based on tourism, loc ...
, and probably Bredulo, Alba
''Alba'' ( , ) is the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland. It is also, in English-language historiography, used to refer to the polity of Picts and Scots united in the ninth century as the Kingdom of Alba, until it developed into the Kingd ...
, and Ventimiglia
Ventimiglia (; , ; ; ) is a resort town in the province of Imperia, Liguria, northern Italy. It is located west of Genoa, and from the French-Italian border, on the Gulf of Genoa, having a small harbour at the mouth of the Roia river, w ...
.[ Arduin is not recorded with the title of ''marchio'' (margrave) until 964, so it is possible that it was Otto I who appointed him margrave of Turin. Alternatively, Arduin may have been appointed margrave before this, perhaps during the reorganisation which took place during Lothair's reign, but under Berengar's direction.
]
Campaigns against the Saracens
From an early date Arduin was certainly occupied with the Saracens
file:Erhard Reuwich Sarazenen 1486.png, upright 1.5, Late 15th-century History of Germany, German woodcut depicting Saracens
''Saracen'' ( ) was a term used both in Greek language, Greek and Latin writings between the 5th and 15th centuries to ...
who had occupied the Susa Valley and established a base at Fraxinetum
Fraxinetum or Fraxinet ( or , from Latin ''fraxinus'': " ash tree", ''fraxinetum'': "ash forest") was the site of a Muslim stronghold at the centre of a frontier state in Provence between about 887 and 972. It is identified with modern La Garde- ...
in neighbouring Provence
Provence is a geographical region and historical province of southeastern France, which stretches from the left bank of the lower Rhône to the west to the France–Italy border, Italian border to the east; it is bordered by the Mediterrane ...
.[ He may have expelled them from the valley in 940–41. To this, he probably added Albenga, Alba, and Ventimiglia by conquest. He definitely took part in the wars of ]William I William I may refer to:
Kings
* William the Conqueror (–1087), also known as William I, King of England
* William I of Sicily (died 1166)
* William I of Scotland (died 1214), known as William the Lion
* William I of the Netherlands and Luxembour ...
and Rotbold I of Provence against the Saracens of Fraxinetum. According to Liutprand of Cremona in his ''Antapodosis'', in 972 or 973 Arduin and Rotbold led the successful assault on Fraxinetum itself. William meanwhile attacked the abductors of Abbot Maieul of Cluny.[ Kees Versteegh, "The Arab Presence in France and Switzerland in the 10th Century", ''Arabica'', 37:3 (1990), 374 n57.] According to a later comital document of 1041, he took the cities of Tenda, Briga, and Saorge from them and granted them concessions. Arduin was last recorded alive on 4 April 976. Despite the fact that he repatriated their land from the Saracens, the monks of Novalesa who had fled Saracen incursions in 906 and were still in Turin as late as 929 accused him of disrespecting their rights: .[
]
Marriage and children
Arduin married a woman named ''Vmille'' in the ''Necrologio Sanctæ Andreæ Taurinensis'', probably Emilia or Immula. They had at least five children:
*Alsinda, who married Giselbert II of Bergamo
*Richilda, who married Conrad of Ivrea
* Manfred
*Arduin
*Otto
References
*C. Manaresi, ed., ''I placiti del ‘regnum Italiae’'', 3 vols. (Rome, 1955–1960).
*M. G. Bertolini
"Arduino"
''Dizionario biografico degli Italiani'', VI (Rome: Società Grafica Romana, 1964), 49–52
Notes
External links
{{s-end
Marquesses of Turin
10th-century Italian nobility
970s deaths
Year of birth unknown
Year of death uncertain