The lands Diepold holds himself on 1 January 1200: his county of Acerra with Nusco, the frontier castle of Rocca d'Arce, Aquino [medium], and the abbey castles of Pontecorvo, Interamna and Castelnuovo.
Salerno is drawn in its own town record; Venafro falls to him only in June 1200. The full account of his party, his kin and his allies is in the realm record Diepold's Germans.
Who he is
- Name
- Diepold of Schweinspeunt
- Title
- Count of Acerra
- Since
- Count since late 1196 or early 1197; castellan of Rocca d'Arce since 1191
- Born
- About 1160-1165
- Family
- Bavarian ministerial family of Schweinspeunt (not Vohburg)
- Confidence
- high
DBI; Richard of San Germano. See the realm record Diepold's Germans for the whole party.
Overlord
Holds Acerra by Henry VI's grant; recognises no lord in the kingdom but the dead emperor's will and Markward's claim to the regency.
What it holds
- Acerra, town and castle, head of the county
- Nusco in the Irpinia, which went with the county of Acerra
- Rocca d'Arce (castellan for him by 1208: Hugh of Marlenheim; in 1200 not pinned)
- Aquino [medium: held until the abbot took it in 1201]
- Pontecorvo, Interamna, Castelnuovo: Montecassino's castles, garrisoned by his men since February 1199
- Venafro: taken only in June 1200, after his victory over Peter of Celano [likely course]
- Alife, for a time (dates not pinned)
How it was acquired
Rocca d'Arce by Henry VI's grant, September 1191; Acerra by Henry VI's grant after the capture of Count Richard of Acerra, late 1196 or early 1197; the abbey castles by Markward's gift, February 1199.
Allies and rivals
See Diepold's Germans. Neighbours at war with him: Abbot Roffredo of Montecassino, the lords of Aquino at Roccasecca, Naples and Capua; at peace with him by marriage: Caserta and Fondi.
How things stand that morning
Held by his garrisons. Released from Count William of Caserta's prison in November 1199, Diepold is back at the head of his men. Across the Liri from Rocca d'Arce lies the papal Campagna (Ceprano and Falvaterra, rom's records); north of it Conrad of Marlenheim holds Sora; south-east the abbot of Montecassino holds San Germano and the abbey's land.
Wealth
Acerra's grain, flax and vines and the dues of its villages; the abbey's lands round Pontecorvo; tolls on the Via Latina at Aquino and on the Liri.
Military
Rock castles at Rocca d'Arce and on the abbey's land; the castle of Acerra; German knights and sergeants. No numbers in the sources.
Threats
- Montecassino's counter-attacks
- the papal marshal's army
- Count Peter of Celano
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.
- March 1200Failed attack on Montecassino (DBI).Depends on: His garrisons round the abbey. Stopped by: A papal garrison at the abbey, or a truce.
- June 1201 (not 1200)Beaten before Capua by Walter of Brienne; he soon loses Aquino and Venafro (DBI).Depends on: Walter's coming south with papal backing. Stopped by: Any settlement in 1200 between the pope and the Germans.
Places of note
- Castle of Acerra: Seat of the county
- Rocca d'Arce: Frontier rock castle
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: Acerra and Rocca d'Arce are certain; Aquino is held until 1201 (DBI on Roffredo) and inferred for January 1200; Alife is held 'for a time' (DBI); Venafro falls to him in June 1200.
On the map: Castles and their near land only.
Primary sources for Diepold's Germans
Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.
- Annals of Montecassino; Annals of Ceccano (Fossanova) (12th and early 13th centuries; Ceccano to 1217). Two sets of annals from either side of the papal and Sicilian frontier. Read online
- Chronicle of Richard of San Germano, Richard of San Germano (first version about 1216, enlarged to 1243). The fullest southern narrative of the Hohenstaufen kingdom, written by a notary on the border of the Terra di Lavoro. Read online
- Chronicle of Sicard, bishop of Cremona, Sicard of Cremona (about 1210 to 1213). A universal chronicle whose last part is a well-placed eyewitness account by a Lombard bishop who served emperors and popes. Read online
- The Deeds of Innocent III, Anonymous (a curial official, perhaps Peter of Benevento) (about 1208 to 1209). The curia's own account of the pontificate's first decade, with letters copied in. Read online
- Book in honour of the Emperor, or On Sicilian affairs, Peter of Eboli (1195 to 1197). An illustrated verse account of Henry VI's conquest of Sicily, preserved in a single manuscript made at the imperial court. Read online
Sources and studies
- Dipoldo di Schweinspeunt (Treccani, Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani)
- Richard of San Germano, Chronicle, trans. G.A. Loud (University of Leeds, PDF; covers to 1199)
- Pietro di Celano (Treccani, Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani)
- Roffredo dell'Isola (Treccani, Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani)
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.