The Normans of Molise
Molise County
Recent
studies have identified approximately two hundred family names of
French origin in the regions of southern Italy. Among the numerous
families of knights that came from northern France the best known
example is that of the twelve Altavilla brothers, whose cognomen
toponomasticum originates from Hauteville-Le Guiscard, the
feud of the homonymous family. This suggestive hypothesis connects
the history of Molise directly with that of the feuds and counties
of Normandy.
In
the 10th century in Normandy (at Mortagne-au-Perche)
there was a place called castrum Molinis, whose lord was
Count Guidmondo. At his death the property was inherited by Robert,
his second born. Accused of having fomented internecine wars and
betrayed the Duke’s trust, he decided to leave with his numerous
brothers, possibly bound for Italy.
Guidmondo’s
firstborn, Rudolf of Boiano, a man of great experience and an
expert of military strategy, was called consilio potentis et
armis. It can therefore be surmised that the County of Boiano
fell into the hands of the Normans shortly before the battle of
Civitate sul Fortore (1053). There are some who support the theory
that the conquest of Boiano was connected with the first military
campaigns of Robert Guiscard, who penetrated the Longobard county
after circling the Matese massif. The conquered area was given,
according to custom, to one of the most trusted knights, Rudolf de
Moulins. In 1054 the latter, under pressure from Guiscard, signed
an important document in favour of the Trinità di Venosa. Rudolf
was succeeded by Guidmondo, who might have been his son. He
married Emma d’Eboli and their son, Rudolf II, became the next
Count.
The
best known figure of the De Moulins family, later called De
Molisio, is Hugh I, son of Rudolf II. Under him the County of
Boiano became an important centre, controlling a territory that
expanded eastwards (Toro and San Giovanni in Galdo), while on the
other side he also managed to annex the County of Venafro. In 1105
he fought against the Counts Borrello and became lord of
Pietrabbondante and of Trivento, the last remaining Longobard
counties. Hugh’s estates grew to encompass a very large and
strategically important area, a part of which depended on the
Duchy of Apulia and the other on the Principality of Capua.
Hugh
was succeeded by his sons, Simon and, later, Hugh II. The latter
preferred to side with the party of Pope Innocent II against King
Roger II. He allied himself with two other noblemen, Robert of
Capua and Rainolfo of Alife, enemies of the Crown. After the
victory of the king the lands of Hugh II were seized, though he
was soon forgiven and reinstated after he agreed to give up Castel
Volturno and the lands to the east of the river Biferno. Some of
the seized lands were later returned to Hugh II after he was
appointed “giustiziere”, almost a confirmation of the
importance attributed to the Comitatus Molisii (established
circa 1144).
After the short-lived regency
of Marguerite of Navarre, which was followed by a period of
anarchy, the county passed into the hands of Richard of Mandra,
whose son Roger (who became Count in 1170) took part in the war
between the Norman Tancred and Henry VI of Swabia, and was
expelled by the victorious imperial forces.
