Printed for S. RICHARDSON, T. OSBORNE, C. HITCH, M.DCC.LXI. W1 The Hiftory of Naples. HEN Charlemagne put an end to the dominion of The duke a a Vide the Antient Univerfal History, vol. xix. b CAMILL. 774. MOD. HIST. VOL. XXVIII. R hither hither Calabria, with the city Acripoli, and the promontory in its neighbou: hood, called Capo di Licofa; and laftly the dukedoms of Gaeta, Naples, and Amalfi, which were very in-confiderable, and extended along the fhore only about a hundred miles, and were interrupted by the Gaftaldate or county of Capua. Thefe fmall territories excepted, all the reft of Italy, on the fouth fide of the rivers Garigliano and Fruento, was diftinguished with the name of the dukedom of BenevenThe extent to, which comprifed nine of thofe twelve provinces into of that which the kingdom of Naples is at this day divided; namely, dukedom. Terra di Lavoro, Contado di Molife, The hither Apruzzo, Capitanata, Terra di Bari, Bafilicata, The hither Calabria, and both the principalities. ance to Charlemagne. A. D. Arechis THIS flourishing and extenfive dukedom was at this time renounces governed by Arechis, who had married one of the daughters of bis allegi- the last king of the Lombards, and had fubmitted and taken the oath of allegiance to the conqueror Charles. However, a few years after, he renounced his allegance to the Franks, and declared himself an independent sovereign, and was acknow781. leged as fuch by all the inhabitants of the duchy. To ftrengthen himself against Pepin king of Italy, who refided at Ravenna, he enlarged and fortified the city of Benevento, and likewife built the city of Salerno, on the fea coast, which he furrounded with a very ftrong and high wall. He was greatly beloved by his subjects, and during his reign he was engaged in feveral wars with the fabjects of the Greek empire in the duchy of Naples, who were fometimes obliged to give him hoftages. He likewise made feveral incurfions into the territories of the pope, who not being able to oppose him, and receiving no aififtance from Pepin, prevailed on Charlemagne to return to Italy. That conqueror accordingly, in the end of the year 786, repassed the Alps with a powerful army, and proceeded to Rome. Makes incurfions into the pope's terrītaries. Charle- ARECHIS was then at war with the Neapolitans, about magne re- the fields of Nola; but, being apprehenfive left they fhould turns to join the Franks, he immediately concluded a peace with his Italy and neighbours, and granted them fome diaria, or fubfidies, in the obliges contested fields f. He fent his eldest fon Romuald also to bim to fub- Rome, with an offer of fubmiffion: Charles, however, at the mit. CONST. PORPHYROGEN. de Adminift. Imper. c. 27. Differtat. Chorograph. de Italia medii Ævi, apud MURAFOR. tom. X. col. 302, 303, & 304. d CAMILL. PEREGRIN. Hift. Princ. Longboard. apud MURATOR tom. ii. Anonym. Salern. ibid. tom. ii. part ii. ← SIGON. in Rego. Ital. f ERCHEMPERT Hift. apud Peregrin. instigation inftigation of the pope, rejected his offer, and, detaining his fon prifoner, proceeded with his army into Campania; and, after ravaging the country, made himfelf mafter of Capua. Arechis, not thinking himself safe in Benevento, went immediately to Salerno, from whence he again fent deputies to Charles, to fue for peace. Thefe deputies were his other fon Grimoald, with the Beneventan bishops, who were fo fuccefsful as to prevail with Charlemagne to grant a peace, which was concluded on these conditions, That Arechis and the Beneventans should renew their allegiance to the Franks; that he should pay a yearly tribute to Pepin; fhould deliver up all his treasure ; and give his fon Grimsald and his daughter Adelgifa, with twelve others, as hoftages for his fidelity,8. The conditions of the treaty being executed, Charlemagne returned to Rome, where he celebrated the feast of Eafter; but, after many intreaties, he restored Adelgifa to her father. A. D. 787. AFTER the departure of Charles into France, Arechis entered into a negotiation with the emprefs Irene and her fon Conftantine, for expelling the Franks entirely from Italy. He fent ambassadors to Conftantinople, to defire the honour of patriciate, and the dukedom of Naples, with all its dependencies, promifing to acknowlege the emperor as his fovereign, and to live after the manner of the Greeks; but requiring to be fupported by a Greek army, and that his brother-in-law Adalgifus, fon of the late king Defiderius, should be fent over to Italy to raise a party among the Lombards. The emperor readily agreed to thefe propofitions, on condition that Arechis fhould give his fon Romuald as an hostage. Ambassadors were accordingly sent to Naples with the enfigns of the patrician order; namely, the mantle of cloth of gold, the fword, the comb, and the fandals h: but before the ceremony could be performed, the young prince Romualdus died, which haftened the death of his father, who died the fame year, His death. in the end of August, in the 30th year of his reign, and the 54th of his age. He was greatly regretted by the Beneventans, and is faid to have been a prince endowed with a great many royal virtues. He published several good laws, built feveral churches, and erected two ftately palaces, one at Benevento, and the other at Salerno. He was a lover of learning, and greatly careffed the learned men of those times, particularly Paul Warnefride, or Paulus Diaconus, who had been fecretary to Defiderius, and had escaped to Benevento |