Cunibert of Turin (died c.1082) was an Italian bishop. According to Anselm of Besate, Cunibert was a member of the Besate dynasty from

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard language, Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the List of cities in Italy, second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 ...

. Cunibert is first documented as bishop of Turin at the Council of Pavia (October 1046). His episcopate lasted from then until his death, c.1082.

Cunibert and Gregorian Reform

Cunibert had an ambiguous relationship with

Gregorian reform The Gregorian Reforms were a series of reforms initiated by Pope Gregory VII and the circle he formed in the papal curia, c. 1050–80, which dealt with the moral integrity and independence of the clergy. The reforms are considered to be na ...

. In April 1059, Cunibert attended the Lateran council held by

Pope Nicholas II Pope Nicholas II ( la, Nicholaus II; c. 990/995 – 27 July 1061), otherwise known as Gerard of Burgundy, was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 24 January 1059 until his death in 27 July 1061. At the time of his ...

in Rome. During the Cadalan Schism (1061-1064) he supported the

Pope Alexander II Pope Alexander II (1010/1015 – 21 April 1073), born Anselm of Baggio, was the head of the Roman Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1061 to his death in 1073. Born in Milan, Anselm was deeply involved in the Pataria reform ...

against Bishop Cadalus of Parma. He also supported the canons of San Lorenzo at

Oulx Oulx ( oc, label=Occitan, Ors) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about west of Turin, in the Susa Valley on the border with France. Names Like many other towns in the Susa ...

. Yet Cunibert could not always be relied upon in matters of reform.

Peter Damian Peter Damian ( la, Petrus Damianus; it, Pietro or '; – 21 or 22 February 1072 or 1073) was a reforming Benedictine monk and cardinal in the circle of Pope Leo IX. Dante placed him in one of the highest circles of '' Paradiso' ...

accused Cunibert of being too lax in his dealings with simonists and unchaste priests. Damian wrote to

Adelaide of Susa Adelaide of Turin (also ''Adelheid'', ''Adelais'', or ''Adeline''; – 19 December 1091) was the countess of part of the March of Ivrea and the marchioness of Turin in Northwestern Italy from 1034 to her death. She was the last of the Ardu ...

to see if she could encourage Cunibert to take action against them.

Cunibert and the Abbey of San Michele della Chiusa

Cunibert was opposed to the appointment of Benedict II as abbot of

San Michele della Chiusa The Sacra di San Michele, sometimes known as Saint Michael's Abbey, is a religious complex on Mount Pirchiriano, situated on the south side of the Val di Susa in the territory of the municipality of Sant'Ambrogio di Torino, in the Metropolitan C ...

, believing that the abbey belonged to the diocese of Turin, and that he, rather than the monks of San Michele should choose the new abbot. In 1078, along with

Peter I, Count of Savoy Peter I (c. 1048 – 9 August 1078) was count of Savoy and margrave of Turin jointly with his brother Amadeus II of Savoy from c. 1060 to 1078. He ruled only nominally, as true power was in the hands of his mother, Adelaide of Susa. Peter presi ...

, Cunibert thus attempted to drive Abbot Benedict II from the abbey. Cunibert also accompanied

Henry IV of Germany Henry IV (german: Heinrich IV; 11 November 1050 – 7 August 1106) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 to 1105, King of Germany from 1054 to 1105, King of Italy and Burgundy from 1056 to 1105, and Duke of Bavaria from 1052 to 1054. He was the son ...

to Piacenza (1077), and on his new Italian expedition (1081).Sergi, ''L’Aristocrazia'', p. 185

Notes and references

Sources

*Anselm of Besate, ''Rhetorimachia'', in ''Gunzo: Epistola ad Augienses und Anselm von Besate: Rhetorimachia'', ed. K. Manitius, MGH QQ zur Geistesgesch. 2 (Weimar, 1958), accessible online at
Monumenta Germaniae Historica
* C.W. Previté-Orton, ''The Early History of the House of Savoy (1000-1233)'' (Cambridge, 1912), accessible online at:
archive.org
*S. Hellmann, ''Die Grafen von Savoyen und das Reich: bis zum Ende der staufischen Periode'' (Innsbruck, 1900), accessible online (but without page numbers) at

* *G. Sergi, ''L'aristocrazia della preghiera: politica e scelte religiose nel medioevo italiano'' (1994), esp. pp. 181–185. {{authority control Investiture Controversy 11th-century Italian Roman Catholic bishops Bishops of Turin Clergy from Milan it:Cuniberto (vescovo di Torino)