Isernia stands on its ridge between the Carpino and the Sordo, a walled bishop's city of the county of Molise with no castle of its own.
Markward sacked it in 1199 (month not pinned) while he held the county's castles. On 1 January 1200 it is a wasted town in a county without a lord on the spot: hostile to Markward, not yet under the regency's hand. Frederick II will order its walls razed in 1223 in his war with Thomas of Celano: not yet.
Who holds it
- Name
- The bishop of Isernia (name not pinned); the county's lord is Markward (absent)
- Title
- Bishop's city of the county of Molise
- Confidence
- low
Lord in 1200
Part of the county of Molise, whose count by grant is Markward of Annweiler, now in Sicily. Sacked by Markward in 1199.
Overlord
The crown of Sicily, disputed with Markward.
How things stand that morning
Recovering from Markward's sack of 1199; contested ground between the German party and the regency.
Charter
Not recorded for 1200; the later claim that it was always a royal city and never enfeoffed is a later tradition.
Council
Not recorded.
Communities
Latin townsmen.
Fairs and markets
Not recorded.
Militia
Townsmen behind the walls.
Walls and castle
Walls but no castle (it.wikipedia).
Trade and crafts
Market of the upper Volturno; the road from the Terra di Lavoro to the Sangro.
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.
- June 1200Diepold's victory before Venafro carries German influence into the Molise; Isernia lies on his road.Depends on: Diepold beating Peter of Celano Stopped by: A regency force on the Volturno
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: The sack of 1199 from it.wikipedia; nothing else dated.
On the map: The tierra is the town's near land, shared out by distance; towns of the kingdom did not govern a contado as the communes of the Papal State did.
Sources and studies
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.