A free noble family from Burgeis in the upper Vinschgau, kin of the Eppan and Tarasp.
About 1170 Albero I moved to a castle on the Johanneskofel near the village of Wangen above Bolzano and took its name. They are tied to both great powers of the valley: Agnes of Wanga is the mother of the young count of Tyrol, and Albero's son Frederick will be the bishop of Trent who restores the see (1207-1218). About 1210 they will found their own suburb beside the bishop's market at Bolzano.
Who he is
- Name
- Albero (Adalbero) we of Wanga, who moved the family seat from Burgeis about 1170; his sons Albero II, Beral and Frederick (a canon of Augsburg by 1197, the future bishop of Trent). Whether Albero I is alive on 1 January 1200 is not pinned.
- Title
- Free lords (edelfrei) of Wanga
- Since
- about 1170
- Born
- not pinned
- Family
- Related to the counts of Eppan and the lords of Tarasp. Agnes of Wanga, mother of Count Albert of Tyrol, is of this house (her exact place in it is not pinned).
- Confidence
- medium
de.wikipedia Wanga (Adelsgeschlecht); it.wikipedia Federico Vanga; NDB/ADB on Albert of Tyrol.
Overlord
The bishop of Trent for their fiefs.
What it holds
- The castle near Wangen on the Ritten above Bolzano
- Estates on the Ritten and in the Wangen parish
- Older lands round Burgeis in the upper Vinschgau (not pinned for 1200)
How it was acquired
Inheritance; the move from Burgeis about 1170.
Allies and rivals
Kin of the counts of Tyrol through Agnes; kin of the Eppan and Tarasp.
How things stand that morning
Holding their castle and estates above Bolzano; a rising house with a son in the Church.
Wealth
Ritten estates and the Bolzano trade. No figures.
Military
Their castle on the Johanneskofel. No figures.
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.
- 9 August 1207 (beyond 1200)Frederick of Wanga is named bishop of Trent.Depends on: Conrad's resignation (1205) and the vacancy. Stopped by: Play.
Places of note
- Wangen castle (Johanneskofel): Seat taken about 1170
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: The move about 1170 and the sons are attested; the head in 1200 is not.
On the map: Drawn as the Ritten comune; their holdings were scattered estates.
Primary sources for Trent
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.
- Charter book of the bishops of Trent (compiled 1207 to 1218; documents from the 11th century onward; edited 1852). The cartulary of the prince-bishops of Trent. Read online
Sources and studies
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.