Siconulf (also ''Siconolf'', ''Sikenolf'', ''Siconolfo'', or ''Siconulfus'') was the first

prince of Salerno This page is a list of the rulers of the Principality of Salerno. Salerno was a Lombard Principality in southern Italy in the latter centuries of the first millenium. When Prince Sicard of Benevento was assassinated by Radelchis I of Benevento, ...

, the brother of Sicard,

prince of Benevento This is a list of dukes and princes of Benevento during the Duchy of Benevento between 577–774, the Principality of Benevento between 774–1081, and the Napoleonic creation Principality of Benevento (Napoleonic) between 1806-1815. Dukes of ...

(832–839), who was assassinated by Radelchis. In response to Sicard's murder, the people of

Salerno Salerno (, ; ; ) is an ancient city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Campania, southwestern Italy, and is the capital of the namesake province, being the second largest city in the region by number of inhabitants, after Naples. It is located ...

proclaimed Siconulf prince in opposition to Radelchis. At the time Radelchis was holding Siconulf prisoner in

Taranto Taranto (; ; previously called Tarent in English) is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Taranto, serving as an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base. Founded by Spartans ...

. A group of people from the cities of

and

Amalfi Amalfi (, , ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Salerno, in the region of Campania, Italy, on the Gulf of Salerno. It lies at the mouth of a deep ravine, at the foot of Monte Cerreto (1,315 metres, 4,314 feet), surrounded by dramatic c ...

went there in disguise as Amalfian merchants and rescued Siconulf from prison, bringing him to Salerno.Kreutz, Barbara M. Before the Normans: South Italy in the Ninth and Tenth Centuries. (University of Pennsylvania Press: Philadelphia, 1991) p. 23. It was Radelchis who first called in the aid of 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 ...

against Siconulf in 841, though Siconulf soon retaliated by doing the same against his opponent. The war lasted ten years, during which the Saracen ravages worsened and churches were despoiled. Finally, in 849, the

king of Italy King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a constitutional monarch if his power is restrained by ...

, Louis II, came down into

Southern Italy Southern Italy (, , or , ; ; ), also known as () or (; ; ; ), is a macroregion of Italy consisting of its southern Regions of Italy, regions. The term "" today mostly refers to the regions that are associated with the people, lands or cultu ...

and confirmed the division of the Beneventan principality, forcing the two rivals to sign a peace and making Siconulf prince of Salerno. The major cities in the new principality were

, Cassano Irpino,

Paestum Paestum ( , , ) was a major Ancient Greece, ancient Greek city on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea, in Magna Graecia. The ruins of Paestum are famous for their three ancient Greek temples in the Doric order dating from about 550 to 450 BCE that ...

, Conza, Sarno, Cimitile (

Nola Nola is a town and a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania, southern Italy. It lies on the plain between Mount Vesuvius and the Apennines. It is traditionally credited as the diocese that introduced bells to Christian worship. ...

Capua Capua ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in the province of Caserta, in the region of Campania, southern Italy, located on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. History Ancient era The name of Capua comes from the Etruscan ''Capeva''. The ...

Teano Teano is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Caserta, Campania, southern Italy, northwest of Caserta on the main line to Rome from Naples. It stands at the southeast foot of an extinct volcano, Rocca Monfina. Its St. Clement's cathedral is ...

, and Sora. He died soon after and was succeeded by his son Sico.

Notes

Sources

* Gwatkin, H. M., Whitney, J. P., edd. ''The Cambridge Medieval History: Volume III''. Cambridge University Press, 1926. 851 deaths Lombard warriors Princes of Salerno 9th-century monarchs in Europe 9th-century Lombard people Year of birth unknown {{Italy-bio-stub