Berengar of Friuli

:For other historical figures with similar names, see Berengar.

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Berengar of Friuli (? - 16 April 924) was a Margrave of Friuli, King of Italy (from 888 on) and Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire from 915 on.

Related Topics:
16 April - 924 - Margrave - Friuli - King of Italy - 888 - Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire - 915

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Berengar I descended from the Carolingians on his mother's side. His mother was Gisela, a daughter of Louis the Pious; his father was Eberhard, the Margrave of Friuli.

Related Topics:
Carolingian - Louis the Pious

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His older brother Unroch III died before his time and Berengar succeeded him as margrave of Friuli around 874. With this his obtained a key position, as the margrave bordered the Slavs and Magyars who where threatening the Italian peninsula. In 888, Berengar succeeded in convincing the Italian nobility to proclaim him King of Italy, even though there certainly were other options for the title. His rival, Guy of Spoleto, tried to outmaneuver him by having Pope Stephen VI crown him Emperor, as well as crowning both him and his son Lambert of Spoleto as King. The coronation was considered controversial because Guy was known to be an archrival of the Pope. Nevertheless, Guy succeeded in restoring order in Italy from his bases in Pavia and Rome. Fortunately for Berengar, Pope Formosus invited King Arnulf of the East Franks to Italy in 893 to overthrow Guy. Arnulf sent his illegitimate son Zwentibold, who met up with Berengar. Together, they cornered Guy at Pavia, but did not press their advantage (it is believe that Guy bribed them off). The following year, Arnulf and Berengar defeated Guy at Bergamo and took control of Pavia and Milan. Guy died in 894. His son, Emperor Lambert, defeated an attempt by Berengar to advance on Pavia in 898, but died in a hunting accident days later. Meanwhile, Arnulf, who had been crowned in 896 in opposition to Lambert, had left Italy that same year. It seemed that Berengar would quickly regain his authority.

Related Topics:
874 - Slavs - Magyars - 888 - Guy of Spoleto - Pope Stephen VI - Lambert of Spoleto - Pavia - Rome - Pope Formosus - Arnulf of the East Franks - 893 - Zwentibold - Bergamo - Milan - 894 - 898 - 896

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Outside events would change this, however. Chaos had struck as the first Magyar invasions had commenced and Berengar's defeat at their hands near the Brenta river in 899 caused the nobility to question his ability to protect Italy. As a result, they supported another candidate for the throne, Louis of Provence. In 900 Louis marched into Italy and defeated Berengar; the following year he was crowned King and Emperor by Pope Benedict IV. In 902, however, Berengar struck back and defeated Louis, making him promise not to return to Italy. When he broke this oath by invading the peninsula again in 905, Berengar again defeated him at Verona, captured him, and ordered him to be blinded. Louis returned to Lower Burgundy and ruled for another twenty years as Louis the Blind. Berengar thereby cemented his position as king.

Related Topics:
Brenta - 899 - Louis - Provence - 900 - Pope Benedict IV - 902 - 905 - Verona - Burgundy

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In January 915, Pope John X, after forging an alliance between Berengar and the local Italian rulers, crowned Berengar as Emperor, hoping he could face the Saracen threat in the south of Italy. However, Berengar returned swiftly to the north where Friuli was still threatened by the Magyars. Dissatisfied with the emperor, several Italian nobles invited Rudolf II of Upper Burgundy to take the Italian throne in 922. Moreover, his own son-in-law, the Margrave of Ivrea, rose up against him, incited by Rudolf. Berengar retreated to Verona and had to watch sidelined as the Magyars pillaged the country. Pavia was sacked in 924, and the same year Berengar was murdered by one of his own men, possibly at the instigation of Rudolf.

Related Topics:
915 - Pope John X - Saracen - Rudolf II of Upper Burgundy - 922 - Ivrea - 924

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There exists an anonymous writing, 'Gesta Berengarii Imperatoris', about the many happenings of his troublesome time.

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