*** Welcome to piglix ***

Richard Filangieri


Richard (Riccardo) Filangieri (c.1195–1254/63) was an Italian nobleman who played an important part in the Sixth Crusade in 1228–9 and in the War of the Lombards from 1229–43, where he was in charge of the forces of Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, battling forces on the other side, local barons first led by John of Ibelin, the Old Lord of Beirut. During the first half of Filangieri's career he was a Ghibelline, but during the second a Guelph. He was a member of the Filangieri family of Campania.

He was the eldest son of Giordano I, lord of Nocera, and Oranpiassa. His younger brothers were Giordano II, Lothair, and Henry. He was educated as a knight and married Iacoba, daughter of Pietro Cottone, who had been made count of Lettere and castellan of Gragnano in 1198 by Queen Constance. By his marriage to Iacoba, Richard entered the ranks of the Neapolitan nobility, a traditional caste which had not been much open to Italo-Normans like the Filangieri.

Richard was made imperialis marescalcus (imperial marshal) of the Kingdom of Sicily by the Emperor Frederick II. He held this title as early as 1224, but in most documents thereafter until he lost the post to Tebaldo Francesco (before June 1243, probably 1242) he is titled imperialis aule marescalcus. In 1231 his brother Giordano was appointed to act as marshal in Richard's absence; Richard was then appointed Marshal of Jerusalem. In 1225 Richard joined the court of the emperor at Palermo. In 1226–27 he followed the imperial court around northern Italy: from Rimini, to Parma, to Borgo San Donnino, and then back to the Capitanate. From February to May 1227 he was in Sicily, at the emperor's side in Catania and Palermo again.


...
Wikipedia

...