The counts Aldobrandeschi

Who rules

Name

Ildebrandino VIII Aldobrandeschi

Title

Count palatine (title confirmed by Henry VI on 27 April 1195)

Since

1195

Born

not pinned

Family

Aldobrandeschi, son of Ildebrandino VII 'Novello' (count 1152-1195)

Confidence

medium

it.wikipedia (Ildebrandino VIII; Aldobrandeschi): count 1195-1212; Henry VI confirmed him count palatine on 27 April 1195; in 1199, after Viterbo rebelled against Innocent III, he was made captain of the people and podestà of Viterbo; pacts with Siena and Orvieto in 1202; led Orvieto's cavalry in summer 1207; grants from Otto IV in 1210; died between August and November 1212.

Overlord

The Empire (count palatine by Henry VI's confirmation of 1195); several castles lie on lands of the abbey of San Salvatore on Monte Amiata and of the Roman abbey of Tre Fontane (Church map records), and the pope will later confirm some of his castles.

What the realm holds

• Sovana, the count's seat and see
• Santa Fiora, Arcidosso, Castel del Piano, Piancastagnaio and the other castles of Monte Amiata (some on the abbey of San Salvatore's land)
• Roccalbegna, Semproniano, Saturnia, Manciano, Scansano, Magliano and the Albegna and Fiora valleys
• Grosseto, a bishop's city since 1138, with its salt works; Montepescali, Batignano, Istia and Campagnatico on the lower Ombrone
• Sorano; Pitigliano (the counts' since at least 1061; see the note on Ranieri di Bartolomeo)
• The coast from the Ombrone to the Fiora, with Talamone and the lagoon of Orbetello (Orbetello and Capalbio held under the Roman abbey of Tre Fontane; the form of tenure in 1200 not pinned)

How it was acquired

The house held the county of Sovana and the southern Maremma from the tenth century; Ildebrandino VII fought Grosseto's townsmen in 1179; Henry VI confirmed the palatine title in 1195.

Allies and rivals

Allies: the Tuscan League (founding member, 11 November 1197); Viterbo, whose podestà and captain he became in 1199; Orvieto (pact of 1202, cavalry command in 1207). Rivals and partners: Siena, which draws Grosseto and the Maremma salt into its orbit (pacts in 1202, salt agreement 1203, Grosseto taken by Siena in 1224); the abbey of San Salvatore, whose lands the counts have encroached on; Rome, at war with Viterbo; the Pannocchieschi and Pisa to the north (tuw).

The realm that morning

That morning the count holds the southern Maremma and Monte Amiata. Whether he still holds the Viterbo podestà-ship he took in 1199, while Viterbo is at war with Rome and the pope is trying to mediate, is not pinned: if so he is personally engaged against Rome and the pope. Grosseto's townsmen are restive under him (the 1179 quarrel) and look to Siena. Across the borders: Siena's Paganico and the Ardengheschi north, the abbey of San Salvatore and the pope's Radicofani north-east, Orvieto and the pope's Patrimony in Tuscany (Acquapendente) east and south, the Pannocchieschi and Pisa's Maremma north-west (tuw).

Wealth

Salt pans of Grosseto and the coast, pasture and transhumance in the Maremma plains, the woods and chestnuts of Monte Amiata, the coastal landings at Talamone and Orbetello, and tolls on the roads from the coast to Orvieto and Rome.

Military

A great web of castles (Sovana, Santa Fiora, Pitigliano, Sorano, Roccalbegna, Campagnatico); vassal knights and viscounts (a viscount of Batignano is named in 1213). No figures.

Threats

• Siena's pull on Grosseto and the salt trade
• Orvieto's ambitions in the Fiora valley
• The pope, if the count's Viterbo office makes him an enemy of Rome
• A divided inheritance among three sons

Heirs and children

Sons Ildebrandino (IX), Guglielmo and Bonifacio, who will quarrel over the inheritance and divide it on 29 October 1216. Their birth years, and whether all were born by 1 January 1200, are not pinned.

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 (dates not pinned)The Viterbo and Rome war over Vitorchiano runs its course with the pope mediating (campaign notes Part 5); if the count still leads Viterbo he is drawn in against Rome.Depends on: his holding the Viterbo office into 1200 Stopped by: the pope's mediation or his leaving the office
2. 1202 (beyond 1200)Pacts with Siena and with Orvieto.Depends on: peace in the Maremma Stopped by: war with Siena
3. 1203-1204 (beyond 1200)Salt agreement with Siena (1203); charter of liberties (Carta Libertatis) granted to Grosseto's commune (1204).Depends on: the count needing Siena's market and Grosseto's loyalty Stopped by: a Grosseto rising
4. 1210 (beyond 1200)Otto IV grants the count the territory of Pitigliano, which had belonged to Ranieri di Bartolomeo.Depends on: Otto's coming to Italy Stopped by: nothing in play
5. August to November 1212 (beyond 1200)Ildebrandino VIII dies; his sons quarrel and divide the county on 29 October 1216.Depends on: natural death Stopped by: nothing in play

Places of note

• Sovana: The count's seat and a bishop's city
• Santa Fiora: Amiata castle, later seat of a branch
• Grosseto: Bishop's city and salt works under the count
• Talamone: Coastal landing

Where the sources disagree

• Pitigliano: it.wikipedia (Ildebrandino VIII) says Otto IV granted him in 1210 'the territory of Pitigliano, which had belonged to Ranieri di Bartolomeo', while it.wikipedia (Pitigliano) has the town under the Aldobrandeschi already in a papal bull of 1061. Drawn as Aldobrandeschi; Ranieri di Bartolomeo may have held a part or a sub-fief (not pinned).
• campaign notes Part 5 put Rome at war with Viterbo on 1 January 1200 with the pope mediating; it.wikipedia says Ildebrandino VIII became Viterbo's captain and podestà in 1199 'after Viterbo rebelled against Innocent III'. The two fit if the count's office continues into 1200; the campaign may wish to rule on it.

Evidence: The count's dates and office at Viterbo come from it.wikipedia; his wife, his sons' ages and the exact list of castles in 1200 are not pinned.

On the map: The polygon follows the later counties of Sovana and Santa Fiora; the eastern line toward Orvieto's Patrimony and the inner line round the abbey of San Salvatore are uncertain in 1200, as is the status of Pitigliano.

Primary sources for this realm

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.

• 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