Betrayals and shifting alliances in the Kingdom of Naples
Giovanni Pipino d’Altamura, Count Palatine of Minervino and Altamura. Lord of Molfetta, Bisceglie, Giovinazzo, Veglie, Loseto, and Minervino Murge.
Death: 1357, December
| Year, Month | State, Comp. ventura | Opponent | Command | Area of Activity | Actions Undertaken and Other Salient Facts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1333 | Altamura | San Severo | Puglia | Purchases San Severo from the Queen of Naples; besieges the town when the citizens refuse to obey him. King of Naples Robert of Anjou (Roberto d’Angiò) intervenes in his favor. | |
| 1334 | |||||
| Jan. | Campania | In Naples, in the church of Santa Chiara. Present at the ceremony where Joanna I of Naples (Giovanna d’Angiò) solemnly pays homage to the Holy See before the papal envoy Cardinal Amerigo di Chalus sent by Pope Clement VI. | |||
| 1338 | Altamura | della Marra | Puglia | Uses as pretext the clashes in Barletta between the della Marra and the della Gatta to organize an army in the name of the King of Naples. Invades the lands of the della Marra and reaches Andria. Forced by adversaries to retreat to Minervino. In Sept., the king sends Bernardo Siripando to Puglia to proclaim a truce among the combatants and give the sovereign time to issue judgment. | |
| 1339 | |||||
| Feb. | Puglia | New order by Robert of Anjou (Roberto d’Angiò) commands both factions to keep peace. Pipino d’Altamura is summoned to Naples; refuses to obey. | |||
| … | Puglia | His father Pietro Pipino, Count of Vico and of San Severo, is stripped of his lordships, reassigned to various feudal lords of the kingdom. | |||
| 1341 | |||||
| Jan. | Altamura | Naples | Puglia | Declared rebel. Attacked in Minervino Murge. His enemies include the Count of Terlizzi, the San Severino, Raimondo del Balzo, and the della Marra. | |
| Spring | Campania | In poor condition, persuaded by his mother Giovannella d’Altamura to surrender under terms with brothers Pietro and Indio. Reaches Naples (May), declared rebel, condemned to life imprisonment in Castel Capuano, and stripped of possessions. His followers are massacred by Raimondo del Balzo, who is granted Minervino. | |||
| 1343 | Campania | In Jan., Cardinal Giovanni Colonna, at his mother’s request, asks for his release; visited in prison by Francesco Petrarca on behalf of the cardinal. Released only after death of Robert of Anjou (Roberto d’Angiò), at the initiative of Andrea of Hungary (Andrea d’Ungheria), husband of the new Queen of Naples Joanna I of Naples (Giovanna d’Angiò). Returns to his former life in Naples. | |||
| 1345 | |||||
| Sept. | Hungary | Mid-month, following the murder of Andrea of Hungary (Andrea d’Ungheria), flees Naples hastily with his brothers due to uprisings. Decides to go to Hungary to inform King Louis (Ludovico) of his relative’s death. | |||
| Oct. | Veneto | Arrested by Venetians while crossing their territories. Senate immediately orders his release. | |||
| 1346 | Hungary, Lombardy, Emilia, Abruzzi | From Hungary goes to Milan. Requests passage for Hungarians traveling to the Kingdom of Naples. Similar requests to the Scaligeri, the Este, and the lord of Bologna. Arrives at L’Aquila where he convinces Lalle dei Camponeschi to rebel against the Queen of Naples. | |||
| 1347 | |||||
| Autumn | Hungary | Naples | Puglia | Hired by Goffredo di Marzano, one of three vicars general of the kingdom. Opposes forces of Louis of Taranto. Forced to leave the Kingdom of Naples. | |
| 1348 | |||||
| Mar. | Colonna | Rome | Lazio | Appears in Rome with 150 cavalry and troops provided by the Captain of the Patrimony. Meets at Montefiascone with papal legate Bertrand de Deux; seeks to recruit troops for King Louis of Hungary (Ludovico d’Ungheria). Summoned to court by Cola di Rienzo for raids in the Terracina area. Allies with Colonna, Orsini, and Luca Savelli; enters Rome, barricades in the Circus Flaminius, sounds the bells of Sant’Angelo in Pescheria. Defeats a unit of German cavalry. Cola di Rienzo, terrified, abdicates, hides in Castel Sant’Angelo, later flees disguised as a friar. Giovanni Pipino arrogantly takes the title “Count of Minervino, patrician and liberator of Rome, defender of the Roman princes, illustrious protector of the Holy Church.” | |
| July | Naples | Hungary | Campania | Frustrated in reclaiming his paternal lands long held by Raimondo del Balzo and Tommaso da San Severino, abandons Louis of Hungary (Ludovico d’Ungheria) and returns to the service of Joanna I of Naples (Giovanna d’Angiò) and her new husband Louis of Taranto. Enters Naples with Guarnieri di Urslingen and 1,500 German cavalry. | |
| Nov. | 800 cavalry | Abruzzi | Confronts Corrado Lupo. At the Biferno bridge, with Giovanni di Asperg (800 cavalry), attempts unsuccessfully to block Corrado Lupo’s passage from the Abruzzi to Puglia. Joins the siege of Lucera. For his services and in compensation for lost possessions, granted (or promised) lordship of Bisceglie, Molfetta, Giovinazzo, and Monopoli with title of Prince of Bari. | ||
| 1349 | |||||
| Jan.–Apr. | Hungary | Naples | 500 cavalry | Puglia | Stefano of Transylvania recaptures Lucera, Foggia, Cerignola, Corneto, Canosa, and other towns of Capitanata. Giovanni Pipino d’Altamura in Bisceglie, plans to move to Bari with 500 German cavalry. Voivode Stefano of Transylvania and Corrado Lupo approach Barletta with 10,000 men. Defense led by Raimondo del Balzo, who surrenders quickly. Giovinazzo and Molfetta yield to Hungarians. Left alone after ally Giacomo Cavalcanti is captured and dies, and Guarnieri di Urslingen deserts to Hungarians. Controls routes from Gravina in Puglia to Muro Lucano, Genzano di Lucania, Bradano Valley, Matera, Montescaglioso, and Taranto. Meets King Louis of Hungary (Ludovico d’Ungheria) at Trani; enters his service; confirmed rights over Molfetta and Giovinazzo. |
| May | Puglia | Recaptures Minervino after brief siege; threatens Trani and Barletta; demands sack of Molfetta and Giovinazzo to appease troops. Meets at Bisceglie with Stefano of Transylvania and Corrado Lupo. Arrogantly refuses their terms, insists Hungarians leave Molfetta and Giovinazzo. Captured, condemned to death. Pardoned through intercession of Corrado Lupo and Guarnieri di Urslingen. Swears loyalty to Hungarians on the Gospel; returns to Bisceglie. | |||
| June | Campania | In Naples leading 300 barbute. | |||
| 1350 | |||||
| Spring–June | Naples | Hungary | Puglia | Deserts to the enemy. Seen at Veglie; returns near Molfetta with few troops. Ambushes citizens outside the walls, captures 100 prisoners, ransoms them at Bisceglie. Attacks Giovinazzo, burns olive groves, besieges the town, which surrenders, giving hostages and 100 ounces of gold beyond terms. Attacks Bitonto, devastates countryside, burns olive groves, destroys presses. Besieges city for 17 days; citizens pay 100 ounces of gold for truce. Requests Bari to accept him as Prince, rejected. Moves to Monopoli, then returns to Bisceglie. Continues raiding and extorting tribute as troops remain unpaid. | |
| July–Aug. | Puglia | Hungarians at Barletta exploit his financial troubles. Many German cavalry desert him for Hungarians, including Filippo di Sala (Filippo di Sulz) “Malespirito,” who with others sacks Andria. Further raids devastate Corato, Palo del Colle, Grumo Appula, Torritto. Hungarians besiege Bari; sack Ruvo di Puglia. Pipino reorganizes at Bisceglie, ambushes 110 Barletta citizens, fails to force entry into city, massacres prisoners. Later Barletta citizens capture 75 of his Germans with Hungarian aid, execute them. | |||
| 1351 | |||||
| Spring | Altamura | Hungary | Puglia and Hungary | King of Hungary lands at Manfredonia. Besieged in Bisceglie by Hungarians led by Giovanni Chutz and Voivode Pietro Lengyel, and by sea with 2 galleys. Besieged in Minervino Murge, flees to Trani, attacked by King of Hungary with 10,000 cavalry. Forced to surrender “with noose around neck and in shirt,” pardoned and reinstated in his lands. Taken prisoner to Hungary. | |
| 1352 | Hungary | Naples | Returns to Kingdom of Naples to face Fra Moriale’s company. | ||
| 1354 | Altamura | Naples | Rebels against King of Naples Louis of Taranto; allies with Louis of Durazzo, opposes the Angevins. | ||
| 1355 | |||||
| … | Puglia | Supports Count Lando and the Great Company, seizes Bari, fights San Severo, repelled at Castelnuovo della Daunia. King of Naples sends envoys for negotiations, which fail. | |||
| May–July | Altamura | Naples | Campania and Puglia | Warned by Pope Innocent VI for aiding mercenary companies in the Kingdom of Naples. Ignores warning, allies with Count Lando; raids in Terra di Lavoro, plunders Maddaloni, Acerra, Arienzo, Casa Nova, reaches Giugliano in Campania. Returns to Puglia after receiving ransom from inhabitants. | |
| Sept. | Puglia | Confronted at Bitonto by Count Lando, now serving King of Naples. | |||
| 1356 | |||||
| Apr.–May | 800 barbute | Puglia | Besieges San Severo and plunders hill region. Royal roads grow unsafe due to brigandage. Grand Seneschal Niccolò Acciaiuoli continues to oppose him. In Apr., King Louis of Taranto prefers negotiations. Giovanni Pipino d’Altamura offered peace and pardon; as goodwill, Archbishop of Bari and Marshal of the Kingdom Giannotto Stendardo given as hostages. Refuses. | ||
| … | Puglia | Advances into Principality of Taranto. Attacks Mottola. | |||
| 1357 | |||||
| May | Puglia | Reinforced by many men from Count Lando’s company; opposed by Louis of Taranto. Initially advances on Ascoli Satriano; defeated in pitched battle, retreats into Matera with 300 lances and infantry. | |||
| … | Basilicata | Besieged in Matera castle by Philip of Taranto (Filippo di Taranto). | |||
| Dec. | Basilicata and Puglia | Forced to surrender, exits Matera fortress “in shirt with noose around neck.” Taken to Altamura; castle surrendered. Asks in vain for decapitation, instead hanged from battlements after being paraded on a donkey, barefoot, stripped, crowned with paper for styling himself King of Puglia. Body quartered and displayed in several towns. One piece, carved in stone with Pipino arms, placed at Porta Matera, destroyed in 1648 during wall renovations; only a relief of the “thigh of Pipino” remains. His brother Luigi retreats to Minervino castle; killed by a Lombard soldier during siege. Last surviving Pipino, Pipino, Count of Vico, escapes to Avignon, dies four years later, ending the family. |
Sources
-“Ambiziosissimo.. e vario, ricettatore di fuorusciti ed altri malvagi.” PETRONI
-“Illustre bandito del regno di Napoli.” BOSSI
-“Che era Soprericco,/ conte de Minervino;/ Facese cangnare lo nome/ et dicere Paladino;/ Non fo de casa Francia,/ fo de messere Janni Pepino/ …/ (la sua morte) Mai l’oste non partiose per fi che sia pilliato/ Et fo posto in una asena et su vy fo legato,/ Scalzo et in capilli, et nudo fo spoliato:/ De corona de carta da poy fo coronato./ Così dessonerato per multe piacae gio;/ che bel li volse o male allora lo seguio;/ Menarolo ad Altamura, come aggio odito io;/ Denante ad quella terra lo appiccaro et morio.” B. DI RANALLO
-“Sempre ostinato nel male, e sempre intento alla propria rovina.” ANTINORI
-“Huomo di natura perfida, e incostante.” DELLA MARRA
-“Fo appeso per le canne in Puglia, in una soa terra era paladino, la quale avea nome Altamura. In capo li fu posta una mitra di carta a mmodo de corona. la lettera diceva così:”Missore Ianni Pipino cavalieri, de Altamura paladino, conte de Minerbino, signore di Vari (Bari), liberatore dello puopolo de Roma.” ANONIMO ROMANO
-“Indisciplinato e potente barone.” CIPOLLA
BIOGRAFIE SPECIFICHE
R. Caggese. Giovanni Pipino conte d’Altamura.
V. D. Tirelli. Un feudatario nella crisi della monarchia angioina alla metà del secolo XIV: Giovanni Pipino, palatino di Altamura, conte di Minervino.
Featured image: wikimedia
