Arborea

Arborea is a town and commune in the province of Oristano, Sardinia, Italy.

In the Middle Ages Arborea was the seat of kingdom, one of the four "judicatures" (giudicati) into which the island was divided. Now Arborea is a small town whose economy is largely based on agriculture, with production of vegetables and fruit.

Contents

1 History

1.1 The Giudicato of Arborea
1.2 Modern Arborea

2 External links

History

The Giudicato of Arborea

When Arabs and Berbers became aggressive in expansion and piracy (around the 9th century), the Byzantines were unable to effectively defend Sardinia, and in regions of Sardinia certain provincial judges assumed independent authority and provided for local defense.

The island became divided into four Giudicati, local provinces with autonomy: Gallura, Logudoro, Arborea, and Caralis. By 900, these districts had become four independent constitutional monarchies, their ruling princes usually titled as Judges. At various times, these fell under the sway of Genoa and Pisa.

The first important "Judge" of Arborea was Mariano I di Zori (ruled 1060-70). Judge Orzoccorre I (Ouroco) moved 1070 the capital from Tarra to Oristano. Next judges were Torbeno, Orzoccorre II (Ouroco II), Camita I, Oron, Gonmari di Lacon, Constantin I, Comita II, and Barison I di Lacon. The last judge's of this line's widow left the principality to her own relative, Hugh of Cervera, who commenced the Cervera line of judges.

Pietro I, son of Barison I became afterwards Judge. Hugo de Cervera (also known as Hugo di Basso) reclaimed the succession. With the treaty of Oristano (1192) Hugh and Pietro became recognized co-judges with equal rights.

Pietro II, son of Hugh I and Preciosa di Lacon, became the next sole judge. He was succeeded by his son Mariano II. In 1253 Arborea was occupied by Peter I Guglielmo of Cagliari and passed to Guglielmo de Capraia. Mariano sought help from Peter III of Aragon and recovered the city in 1264. Next judges were Constantin II and Mariano III. Hugh II (judge 1321-1336), great-grandson of Mariano II, was head of a faction which favored King James II of Aragon who had been promised the island by Pope, the official overlord of Sardinia.

Judge Hugh II supported Infante Alfonso to conquer Sardinia in the campaign of 1323-1324. In 1336 Hugh II was succeeded by his son Peter III (1336-1345). His brother Mariano IV the Great (ruled from 1353), who was educated at the Aragonese court, led a victorious revolt against the invaders starting a period of splendour for the giudicato. He also conquered much of the island, with the exception of Cagliari, Alghero and Sassari (then under Brancaleone Doria), but its campaign was halted in 1375 by a plague, which killed him also.

Mariano was succeeded by his son Hugh III, who died without own descendants in 1383. A republic was proclaimed, but the crown was reclaimed by Eleanor, elder sister of Hugh III, married with Brancaleone Doria, and she succeeded in power finally in 1387. (Another sister, Beatrice, was married with Viscount of Narbonne). Eleanor was regent on behalf of her sons Federico I and, subsequently, Mariano V. Eleanor died in 1404 and Mariano V in 1407: after the latter'd death the succession descended to William of Narbonne of Arborea, Viscount of Narbonne, grandson of Beatrice. He defended the island against the Catalan troops of the kings of Aragon, but Martin the Younger vanquished them in the battle of Sanluri (June 30 1409). Martin's sudden death made possible a recovery and occupation of Sassari and part of Logoduro, as well as reclamation of the title of Judge of Arborea by William.

Leonardo Cubello rebelled against the Catalan dominion and claimed the title of Judge of Arborea. He was compelled in Oristano by Pedro de Torrelles to renounce the title, after which he was given the marquisate of Oristano and county of Gucea (1410). In 1420 Alfonso V of Aragon purchased the rights of the viscounts of Narbonne. Later, the Aragonese governor Leonardo de Alagon rebelled and was also able to beat the King's troops at Uras in 1470. However, his defeat at the Battle of Macomer (1478) put a definitive end to the independence of Arborea and Sardinia.

Modern Arborea

After a long period of decay, Arborea was rebuilt by Fascist government of Italy in the 1920s, after the drying of the marshes which covered the area. The original name was Mussolinia (with which it was inaugurated on October 29, 1928), which was replaced by the current name after World War II.

External links

[History of Arborea and Mussolinia] ()

Sardinia · communes of the province of Oristano

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