City · The Papal State: the pope's own lands · as at first light, 1 January 1200

Narni

A strong walled city on its cliff above the Nera gorge and the Flaminia, self-governing with statutes by 1143.

Here, early in 1198, Conrad of Urslingen surrendered the duchy to the pope's cardinals. Narni then resisted the pope's real lordship: Maleczek names Orvieto and Narni as the most violent opponents of Innocent's government in these parts, in a confrontation, partly armed, that lasted until 1201, and the older accounts say Narni alone had to be brought to obedience by force, restoring the fortresses it had taken, paying for walls and a fine and renewing its submission. Narni presses on its neighbours: Terni (Monte Sant'Angelo, Papigno), Stroncone, Otricoli and San Gemini.

Who holds it

Name
Consuls (names not pinned)
Title
The commune
Confidence
low

Lord in 1200

The commune of Narni, a self-governing town (statutes by 1143) under the pope's lordship, in armed quarrel with him in the years 1198-1201.

Allies and rivals

Enemies: the pope's officers over Otricoli and the castles; Terni; Stroncone. Allies not pinned.

How things stand that morning

In quarrel with the pope over the lands round it; whether the armed submission described in the older accounts falls before or after 1 January 1200 is not pinned (between 1198 and 1201). Across the borders: Amelia west, Todi's lands north-west, Terni and Stroncone east, Otricoli and the Sabina (rom) south.

Wealth

Road toll town on the Flaminia.

Military

A strong site and walls. No figures.

Threats

  • Papal force and spiritual penalties (an interdict in 1209)
  • Terni's revival

Charter

Statutes by 1143 (en.wikipedia).

Council

Consuls (names not pinned). (Pietro Annibaldi, the pope's brother-in-law, is podestà in 1216: later.)

Militia

City levy (no figures).

Walls and castle

Walls on the clifftop.

Trade and crafts

The Flaminia and the Nera crossing (the Roman bridge); farming of the Narni basin.

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. 1200-1201Narni is brought to obedience: it restores the fortresses it took, pays for walls and a fine, and renews its oath (date not pinned; Maleczek ends the confrontation in 1201).Depends on: the pope finding troops while the Viterbo war is on Stopped by: an imperial army in Italy, or the pope's troops held down at Viterbo
  2. 1209 and 1215 (beyond 1200)Interdict on Narni (1209); the pope makes Narni rebuild Stroncone and puts San Gemini under the Church (1215).Depends on: Narni's continued pressure on its neighbours Stopped by: nothing in play

Where the sources disagree

  • The campaign notes do not mention Narni; Maleczek pairs it with Orvieto as the towns that fought the pope's rule until 1201.

Evidence: Maleczek (Enciclopedia dei Papi) and en.wikipedia (Narni, from the older Catholic Encyclopedia) agree on armed resistance; the date of its submission is not pinned.

On the map: Narni's own comune and its near land; the disputed castles round it are left to the anchors.

Primary sources for Papal State

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.

12 more in the sources library for Southern Italy and the Islands.

Sources and studies

  1. Innocenzo III (W. Maleczek, Enciclopedia dei Papi)
  2. Narni (en.wikipedia)
  3. Corrado di Urslingen (Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani)

Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.