Giudicato of Gallura

Giudicato of Gallura
Rennu de Gaddura
10th century–1296
Coat of arms
Giudicato of Gallura (grey in the map)
Capital		Civita
Languages		Sardinian, Gallurese, Latin
Religion		Roman Catholic
Government		Giudicato
Giudicato
•	1020 - 1040	Manfred of Gallura
•	1200 - 1225	Elena of Gallura
•	1276 - 1296	Nino Visconti
History
•	Established	10th century
•	Disestablished	1296
Preceded by Succeeded by Byzantine Empire Republic of Pisa

Coat of arms

The Giudicato of Gallura (Italian: Giudicato di Gallura, Sardinian: Judicadu de Gallura) was one of four Sardinian giudicati of the Middle Ages. These were de facto independent states ruled by judges bearing the title iudex (giudice). Gallura, a name which comes from gallus, meaning rooster (cock), was subdivided into ten curatoriae governed by curatores under the judge. In the 13th century, the arms of Gallura contained a rooster.

Gallura is the northeast region of the island, with its main city at Olbia. The first iudices of Gallura only appear in the historical record late in the eleventh century, though certain rulers of earlier periods are known. Gallura, like all the other giudicati, initially owed allegiance to the Archdiocese of Pisa, but Gallura, unlike most of the others, remained relatively steadfast in its support of Pisa, probably due its proximity to the city of Pisa itself. For this reason, it was often in alliance with the Giudicato of Cagliari in the south.

Gallura began as a province of the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire. After the Arab conquest of Sicily in 827 AD, Sardinia was effectively cut off from regular communication with the Imperial government in Constantinople. Unable to receive instruction or support from the empire, the provincial Byzantine magistrates, the iudices ("judges," the Latin word evolved into the medieval Italian "Giudicati"), continued to rule autonomously. Like the other Sardinian provinces, what were initially appointed, perhaps even elected, positions eventually evolved into hereditary ones.