Hildeprand (died in 789) was the
Duke of Spoleto from 774 to 789. He married Regarde, daughter of
Gotfrid.
When
Theodicius of Spoleto died fighting at the
Siege of Pavia in 774, the
Lombards
The Lombards () or Longobards () were a Germanic peoples, Germanic people who conquered most of the Italian Peninsula between 568 and 774.
The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the ''History of the Lombards'' (written betwee ...
of the
Duchy of Spoleto elected Hildeprand their duke and quickly submitted to the
Franks
file:Frankish arms.JPG, Aristocratic Frankish burial items from the Merovingian dynasty
The Franks ( or ; ; ) were originally a group of Germanic peoples who lived near the Rhine river, Rhine-river military border of Germania Inferior, which wa ...
. Hildeprand fled to
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
before the Frankish host and did homage to
Pope Hadrian I. However, the dispute between
Charlemagne
Charlemagne ( ; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was List of Frankish kings, King of the Franks from 768, List of kings of the Lombards, King of the Lombards from 774, and Holy Roman Emperor, Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian ...
and Hadrian as to who had the proper suzerainty over Spoleto was solved in the Franks' favour over the next few years. In January 776, ''Hildeprandus gloriosus et summus dux ducatus Spoletani'' made a donation to the
Abbey of Farfa dating it to the year of Charles' reign. This form was continued in 777 with language implicitly excluding papal suzerainty.
In 775, Hadrian alleged that Hildeprand had joined a conspiracy of
Hrodgaud of Friuli and
Arechis II of Benevento, but there is no evidence of Hildeprand's involvement. Hildeprand remained a staunch opponent of the papacy thereafter.
In 779, Hildeprand travelled to ''Virciniacum'' (today
VerzenayRegnum Francorum Online
/ref>), probably near Compiègne
Compiègne (; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Oise Departments of France, department of northern France. It is located on the river Oise (river), Oise, and its inhabitants are called ''Compiégnois'' ().
Administration
Compiègne is t ...
, to profess fealty to Charlemagne. He brought with him gifts and left with promises that the king would protect his interests from those of the pope.
In 788, Hildeprand joined Frankish and Lombard troops in resisting a Byzantine invasion. He died the next year and was succeeded by a royal appointee: a Frank, named Winiges.
References
Sources
* Hodgkin, Thomas. ''Italy and her Invaders''. Clarendon Press: 1895.
*
8th-century dukes of Spoleto
Lombard warriors
8th-century births
789 deaths
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