Feltre-Belluno

Who holds it

Name

Drudo da Camino

Title

Bishop of Feltre and Belluno (two sees under one bishop since 1197)

Since

Feltre from about 1177 (some lists say 1174); Belluno as well from 1197

Confidence

medium

A member of the da Camino, the leading family of the hills between the Piave and the Livenza, who hold Cadore and the castles of Camino and Serravalle and were forced into Trevisan citizenship (1183-99). After Bishop Gerardo de' Taccoli of Belluno was killed by the Trevisans in 1197, Belluno was put under him as well. He resides at Feltre. He dies during 1200 (month not pinned); Anselmo de Braganze follows (about 1200-1204).

What it holds

• Feltre: city lordship and comital rights (bishop-count since the Ottonian emperors)
• The county of Feltre: the Feltrino, the Primiero and Tesino valleys, and the Valsugana from Grigno up towards Pergine [the upper Valsugana also lies in Trent's county]
• Belluno: city lordship and comital rights over the Bellunese, with the title of count from Otto I (963)
• The Piave valley around Belluno, the Alpago and the Zoldo and Agordo valleys [extent in 1200 not pinned]
• Lost to Treviso: the castle of Zumelle above Mel, sold to Treviso by the da Camino in 1188

How it was acquired

Otto I made Bishop John II of Belluno a count with lordship over the city and its district in 963. The bishops of Feltre received comital rank from the Ottonians and a princely title from Conrad II. After Bishop Gerardo was killed in 1197, the pope joined Belluno to Feltre aeque principaliter, as two equal sees under one bishop.

How things stand that morning

Drudo holds both cities and their counties. Belluno is weak after the defeat at Cesana; Treviso holds Zumelle and dominates the lower Piave. Belluno will become a commune with a podestà only early in the 13th century.

Wealth

Timber floated down the Piave towards Venice; pasture; the road from the Venetian plain up the Piave and across to the Valsugana and Trent.

Threats

• Treviso, which has already killed one of their bishops
• A vacancy when Drudo dies during 1200
• The da Camino's own ambitions as Treviso's citizens

Advocates and rivals

Ezzelino II da Romano is advocate of the bishops of Feltre and Belluno, as he is of Sesto abbey. The da Camino are the bishop's own kin. The commune of Treviso is the enemy, pushing up the Piave. The patriarch of Aquileia, their metropolitan, excommunicated the Trevisans for killing Bishop Gerardo. Padua fought beside Belluno in 1197.

What the year holds

What happened next, if nothing in play changes it. Each event carries what it depends on and what would stop it.

1. During 1200 (month not pinned)Drudo da Camino dies; Anselmo de Braganze succeeds to the united sees and holds them until 1204.Depends on: His natural death. Stopped by: Nothing likely.

Places of note

• Feltre: The bishop's residence
• Belluno: Second see and county
• Zumelle castle: Sold to Treviso by the da Camino in 1188; Bishop Gerardo died besieging it in 1197
• Cesana: Battlefield of 20 April 1197, where Bishop Gerardo de' Taccoli was killed by the Trevisans

Where the sources disagree

Evidence: Fair: the 963 grant, the killing of Gerardo at Cesana and the union of the sees are attested. Sources differ on who joined the sees (Italian Wikipedia says Celestine III, the Catholic Encyclopedia says Innocent III; a 1197 date implies Celestine) and on when Drudo began (1174 or about 1177). The county boundaries are drawn from later evidence.

On the map: Drawn from the later historic districts of Feltre and Belluno. The Valsugana edge is uncertain, because Trent's county also reached Pergine and Levico. The Agordo and Zoldo valleys are included on later evidence. Cadore, ruled by the da Camino, is drawn in the Aquileia record as a claim.