Perctarit
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Perctarit (also Berthari; died 688) was the first
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
king of 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 ...
, leading a religiously divided kingdom during the 7th century. He ruled first from 661 to 662, and again from 671 to 688. He is notable for making Catholicism the official religion, sparing the life of an invading leader, and commissioning construction projects around the capital. He was one of two sons and successors of
Aripert I Aripert I (also spelled ''Aribert'') was king of the Lombards (653–661) in Italy. He was the son of Gundoald, Duke of Asti, who had crossed the Alps from Bavaria with his sister Theodelinda. As a relative of the Bavarian ducal house, his was ...
who took power after the assassination of Rodoald. He shared power with his older brother
Godepert Godepert (also ''Gundipert'', ''Godebert'', ''Godipert'', ''Godpert'', ''Gotebert'', ''Gotbert'', ''Gotpert'', ''Gosbert'', or ''Gottbert'') was king of the Lombards (crowned 661), eldest son and successor of Aripert I. He was an Arian who gover ...
. They were from the
Bavarian dynasty The Bavarian dynasty was those kings of the Lombards who were descended from Garibald I, the Agilolfing duke of Bavaria. They came to rule the Lombards through Garibald's daughter Theodelinda, who married the Lombard king Authari in 588. The B ...
kings of the Lombards who descended from Garibald I.


Context of Lombard Politics

Perctarit ruled from
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
, Godepert from
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 ...
. He was a Catholic, whereas Godepert was an
Arian Arianism (, ) is a Christological doctrine which rejects the traditional notion of the Trinity and considers Jesus to be a creation of God, and therefore distinct from God. It is named after its major proponent, Arius (). It is considered he ...
. Aripert I was a Chalcedonian Christian a branch of
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
upheld by Catholicism. Arian Christianity was seen in the Lombards from Rodoald who preceded Aripert I after Rodoald was assassinated in 653. Faith differences split the two brothers as tensions rose in the kingdom with zealous vassals looking for power. Perctarit’s reign shows the instability that was typical for many Lombard Kings. In 6th and 7th century, any aspirant to power in Lombard politics might obtain legitimacy by becoming married to or deriving from a female member of the Lombard royal dynasty. The fact that Aripert I was the nephew of the well-known Lombard Queen Theodelinda may have played an integral part in his claim to the throne. Marrying a former queen or daughter of a monarch is a way to claim power. The cultural origins of the Lombards are shown in the '' Origo Gentis Langobardorum'' mentioning many
pagan Paganism (, later 'civilian') is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Christianity, Judaism, and Samaritanism. In the time of the ...
aspects of heroes,
deities A deity or god is a supernatural being considered to be sacred and worthy of worship due to having authority over some aspect of the universe and/or life. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines ''deity'' as a God (male deity), god or god ...
, and linking Lombards to brave and honorable lineage that is vital to understanding early Lombard culture. The Pagan roots of Lombard people helps to understand the religious and societal divide encountered during this power struggle between Grimoald and Perctarit’s reign. Godepert called for the aid of Duke
Grimoald I of Benevento Grimoald or Grimwald (†671) was a 7th-century King of Italy, ruling as Duke of Benevento from 647 to 662, and then as King of the Lombards from 662 until his death in 671. Life Grimoald was born as the youngest son of Duke Gisulf II of Friu ...
in a war with Perctarit but Grimoald instead chose to attack Godepert who ruled over Pavia the capital city of the kingdom of the Lombards. The city held cultural significance for Lombard identity and held a special value as their promised land. This meaning had strong ties to Christianity as King
Alboin Alboin (530s – 28 June 572) was List of kings of the Lombards, king of the Lombards from about 560 until 572. During his reign the Lombards ended their migration period, migrations by settling in Kingdom of the Lombards, Italy, the northern ...
had mercy on Christians when taking the city for the Lombards. Pavia became the capital of the Lombard monarchy. This is significant to Grimoald as he was an outsider to the current Lombard royal dynasty. The Beneventan had Godepert assassinated and took control of the kingdom, forcing Perctarit to flee. Perctarit first arrived at the court of the Avar
khagan Khagan or Qaghan (Middle Mongol:; or ''Khagan''; ) or zh, c=大汗, p=Dàhán; ''Khāqān'', alternatively spelled Kağan, Kagan, Khaghan, Kaghan, Khakan, Khakhan, Khaqan, Xagahn, Qaghan, Chagan, Қан, or Kha'an is a title of empire, im ...
Kakar The Kakar (Pashto: کاکړ) is a Gharghashti Pashtun tribe, based in Afghanistan, parts of Iran, and northern Balochistan in Pakistan. Origins of the tribe Kakars are descendants of Dani (or Daani) who was the son of Gharghasht. Gharghasht wa ...
. Meanwhile, his wife, Rodelinde, and their son Cunincpert were captured by Grimoald and sent to
Benevento Benevento ( ; , ; ) is a city and (municipality) of Campania, Italy, capital of the province of Benevento, northeast of Naples. It is situated on a hill above sea level at the confluence of the Calore Irpino (or Beneventano) and the Sabato (r ...
. Perctarit returned soon thereafter to conspire against Grimoald, but fled again to
Francia The Kingdom of the Franks (), also known as the Frankish Kingdom, or just Francia, was the largest History of the Roman Empire, post-Roman barbarian kingdom in Western Europe. It was ruled by the Franks, Frankish Merovingian dynasty, Merovingi ...
. When Grimoald concluded a treaty with the Franks, Perctarit prepared to flee to
Britain Britain most often refers to: * Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales * The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...
, but news of Grimoald's death reached him first.


Rule of Grimoald and Division in Kingdom

In 662, shortly after Perctarit and Godepert took power, a plot was brewing to remove the brother co-kings and install one of the Lombard dukes in their place. The leader against the co-kings was Grimoald I of Benevento with support from Garipald of Turin as an insider. Godepert mistrusted Garipald and kept him close as a diplomat and advisor. Garipald served Duke Grimoald's interests instead of Godepert’s. Godepert was reported to have been unaware that Duke Grimoald had amassed an army and was advancing on Pavia due to Garipald's misinformation and sabotage. According to narrative, Grimoald was greeted warmly by King Godepert, who was unaware of the danger he was in, upon the rebellious duke's arrival at the king's palace. Grimoald was invited to stay in the palace and enjoy feasts and entertainment. Grimoald took the throne after King Godepert was fatally stabbed during his stay. After killing Godepert, Grimoald acts quickly and confirms his claim to the throne by marrying into the royal Lombard bloodline. He marries a daughter of Aripert I, a sister of Godepert, to claim his spot as King of the Lombards. Grimoald attempted to kill Perctarit as well forcing him to flee any assassination attempts. Grimoald’s reign shows the divide between Christians with Arians and Catholics both wanting to be the official religion. Yet, Pagan traditionalists are still popular in the Lombards as well. These three groups are fighting for support from the King and Grimoald causes divides that Perctarit will later try to mend. The
Easter Easter, also called Pascha ( Aramaic: פַּסְחָא , ''paskha''; Greek: πάσχα, ''páskha'') or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in t ...
Day capture of
Forlì Forlì ( ; ; ; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) and city in Emilia-Romagna, Northern Italy, and is, together with Cesena, the capital of the Province of Forlì-Cesena.The city is situated along the Via Emilia, to the east of the Montone river, ...
by Grimoald caused unrest between pagans and Orthodox Christians, as many Christians were killed in the celebrations. This act of violence against Christians shows that Paganism is not as inconsequential to Lombard society as even though Christianity has played a strong role in the foundation of the Lombard empire and conquest of the Italian Peninsula. While Perctarit has fled, Grimoald has troubles from invading forces trying to take over. Notably the Avars into Venetia which he repelled and a Frankish army that was sent from the Western
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. ...
.
Constans II Constans II (; 7 November 630 – 15 July 668), also called "the Bearded" (), was the Byzantine emperor from 641 to 668. Constans was the last attested emperor to serve as Roman consul, consul, in 642, although the office continued to exist unti ...
launched an attack on Grimoald while Frankish forces attacked yet the Lombards held as Constans forces got held up in other battles. With these important victories for the Lombards Grimoald was held in a popular view. Despite some popularity, when he is assassinated in 671 the Lombards do not elect the new King to be either of his two sons or his daughter. Instead, they choose to recall their exiled King Perctarit after 10 years to return as King of the Lombards. Perctarit prepared to sail to Britain, but news of Grimoald's death reached him first and he returned to Italy.


Return, Catholicism, Impact

In 671, Perctarit returned from exile and reclaimed his realm, which was being ruled on behalf of Grimoald's son
Garibald Garibald was the young son of Grimoald I of Benevento, king of the Lombards, and Theodota, daughter of Aripert I. After his father's death in 671, he reigned briefly for three months until the numerous adherents of Perctarit, his uncle, who ha ...
. He reigned for seventeen years (672–688) as a man of religion making Catholicism the official religion after Godepert co-ruling previously split branches of faith. The switch to Catholicism was significant as Perctarit would try to maintain peace in the kingdom where many of Perctarit’s predecessors’ reigns had only lasted around fifteen years. The danger associated with being King of the Lombards showed the instability of the kingdom, yet Perctarit made strives for peace even with other kingdoms. Perctarit was not interested in conquering lands but instead making peace with the Byzantines. He sought to put down the rebellion of Alagis,
duke of Trent The Duchy of Tridentum (Trent) was an autonomous Lombards, Lombard duchy, established by Euin during the Rule of the Dukes, Lombard interregnum of 574–584 that followed the assassination of the Lombard leader Alboin. The stronghold of Euin's ...
. It was to be his only campaign; he captured the duke, then pardoned and released him. He chose to spare the duke as he was more focused on Catholic faith. He is responsible for the building of the famous nunnery of
Saint Agatha Agatha of Sicily () is a Christian saint. Her Calendar of saints, feast is on 5 February. Agatha was born in Catania, part of the Sicilia (Roman province), Roman Province of Sicily, and was martyred . She is one of several virgin martyrs who are ...
and Church of the Virgin outside of Pavia the capital city. These building projects aim to strengthen the Catholicism in Lombard society and unite the people under one branch of Christianity. Perctarit is significant to the cultural context of the Lombards as he introduced Catholicism to the empire but does not validate
papal The pope is the bishop of Rome and the visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the pope was the sovereign or head of sta ...
authority which is a trend that will continue within the Lombards. Being in such close ties to the
Pope The pope is the bishop of Rome and the Head of the Church#Catholic Church, visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the po ...
this will later become a problem the
Carolingians The Carolingian dynasty ( ; known variously as the Carlovingians, Carolingus, Carolings, Karolinger or Karlings) was a Frankish noble family named after Charles Martel and his grandson Charlemagne, descendants of the Arnulfing and Pippinid ...
will have to help solve. Though Perctarit was peaceful in his reign the kingdom of the Lombards will not remain this way long.
Cunipert Cunipert (also Cunibert or Cunincpert) was king of the Lombards from 688 to 700. He succeeded his father Perctarit, though he was associated with the throne from 680. Life Soon after his assumption of the sole kingship, Cunipert was ousted by ...
, son of Perctarit, provided aid and guidance during the reign of his father starting in Perctarit’s eighth year. Cunipert supports him through the last ten years of his reign. In '' History of the Langobards''
Paul Paul may refer to: People * Paul (given name), a given name, including a list of people * Paul (surname), a list of people * Paul the Apostle, an apostle who wrote many of the books of the New Testament * Ray Hildebrand, half of the singing duo ...
describes Cunipert as influential to Perctarit’s mercy on Alahis after he is captured during the rebellion. Cunipert will succeed Perctarit as king after he is killed in 688. He was succeeded by his more combative son, who would battle against the man his father had captured and released. His daughter Wigilinda married Duke Grimoald II of Benevento, son of Romuald I of Benevento. Perctarit and Rodelinde themselves were to live on in opera as the Bertarido and Rodelinda of
Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel ( ; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well-known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concerti. Born in Halle, Germany, H ...
's '' Rodelinda, Regina de' Longobardi'', though not much of their actual history survived in Nicola Francesco Haym's libretto, drawn more from
Pierre Corneille Pierre Corneille (; ; 6 June 1606 – 1 October 1684) was a French tragedian. He is generally considered one of the three great 17th-century French dramatists, along with Molière and Racine. As a young man, he earned the valuable patronage ...
's Pertharite than from
Historia Langobardorum The ''History of the Lombards'' or the ''History of the Langobards'' () is the chief work by Paul the Deacon, written in the late 8th century. This incomplete history in six books was written after 787 and at any rate no later than 796, maybe at ...
. He was buried in the Basilica of Santissimo Salvatore in Pavia.


References


Notes


Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Perctarit 688 deaths 7th-century Lombard monarchs Lombard warriors Bavarian dynasty Year of birth unknown