March of Tuscany
March of Tuscany Marca di Tuscia (Italian) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 846–1197 | ||
 Coat of arms of the House of Canossa
| ||
 The March of Tuscany in the political context of Italy around AD 1000 | ||
| Status | March | |
| Capital |
43°51′00″N 10°31′00″E / 43.85°N 10.5166°E | |
| Government | Boso of Arles | |
• 1076–1115 | Matilda | |
| Historical era | House of Canossa | 1027 |
• Formation of Tuscan League | 1197 | |
• Claimed by Papacy | 1198 | |
| Today part of | Italy | |
The March of Tuscany (Italian: Marca di Tuscia [ˈmarka di ˈtuʃʃa])[a] was a march of the Kingdom of Italy and the Holy Roman Empire during the Middle Ages. Located in northwestern central Italy, it bordered the Papal States to the south, the Ligurian Sea to the west and Lombardy to the north. It comprised a collection of counties, largely in the valley of the River Arno, originally centered on Lucca.
History
The march was a
The first Tuscan margrave was Adalbert I, who was granted that title in 846. Before him, his father and grandfather, Count Boniface I of Lucca and Boniface II, probably of Bavarian origin, had controlled most of the counties of the region and had held higher titles as well, such as prefect of Corsica or duke of Lucca. The Bonifacii held the march until 931. During the late ninth and early tenth century, the support of the margraves of Tuscany was instrumental for any candidate intent on becoming king of Italy.
In 931, Hugh of Arles, who had made himself king of Italy, dispossessed the Bonifacii in an attempt to consolidate all the important fiefs of Italy in his relatives' hands. He granted Tuscany to his brother Boso. It remained in the hands of members of the family known as the Bosonids down to 1001. It also retained its influence regarding royal elections. As late as 1027, Rainier was deposed from the march by Holy Roman Emperor Conrad II for opposing him as king.
In 1027, the duchy was granted to the
Margraves of Tuscany, 812–1197
House of Boniface
- These were originally counts of Lucca who extended their power over the neighbouring counties.
- Boniface I, 812–823
- Boniface II, 828–834
- Aganus, 835–845
- Adalbert I, 847–886
- Adalbert II the Rich, 886–915
- Guy, 915–929
- Lambert, 929–931
House of Boso
- These were the (mostly illegitimate) relatives of Hugh of Arles, King of Italy, whom he appointed to their post after removing the dynasty of Boniface
- Boso, 931–936
- Humbert, 936–961
- Hugh the Great, 961–1001
House of Hucpold
- Boniface (III), 1004–1011
Nondynastic
- Rainier, 1014–1027
House of Canossa
These were the descendants of the
- Boniface III, 1027–1052
- Frederick, 1052–1055
- Matilda, 1055–1115
- Beatrice of Bar, 1052–1069 (regent as mother of Frederick and Mathilda)
- Godfrey the Bearded, Duke of Lower Lorraine, 1053–1069 (regent as husband of Beatrice and step-father to Frederick and Matilda)
- Godfrey the Hunchback, Duke of Lower Lorraine, 1069–1076 (co-ruler as husband of Matilda)
- Welf II, 1089–1095 (co-ruler as husband of Matilda)
Nondynastic
- Rabodo, 1116–1119
- Conrad, 1119/20–1129/31
- Rampret, c. 1131
- Engelbert, 1134/5–1137
- Henry the Proud, 1137–1139
- Ulrich of Attems, 1139–1152 (imperial vicar)
- Welf VI, 1152–1160
- Welf VII, 1160–1167
- Rainald of Dassel, Archbishop of Cologne, 1160–1163 (imperial vicar)
- Christian of Buch, Archbishop of Mainz1163–1173 (imperial vicar)
- Welf VI, 1167–1173
- Philip, 1195–1197
- In 1197 Philip was elected King of Germany and the majority of the Tuscan nobility, cities and bishops formed the Tuscan League with Papal backing.
- Frederick of Antioch, 1246–50 (imperial vicar)
After this, Tuscany was splintered between the competing republics of
See also
- List of rulers of Tuscany
- Italian city-states
Notes
- marquis, which became a mere rank of nobility, even used as sinecure (themselves from Latin marchio).
Sources
- Wickham, Chris. Early Medieval Italy: Central Power and Local Society 400–1000. MacMillan Press: 1981.