Principality of Salerno: Map & History
The Principality of Salerno was a medieval Southern European state, formed in 851 out of the Principality of Benevento after a decade-long civil war.
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The Principality of Salerno was a medieval Southern European state, formed in 851 out of the Principality of Benevento after a decade-long civil war. It was centred on the port city of Salerno. Although it owed allegiance at its foundation to the Carolingian emperor, it was de facto independent throughout its history and alternated its allegiance between the Carolingians and their successors in the West and the Byzantine emperors in the east.
Modern Countries Once Part of Principality of Salerno
At its mapped extent, Principality of Salerno covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Principality of Salerno's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Principality of Salerno in Depth
History
In 839, the prince of Benevento, Sicard, died. Immediately, his chief army officer, Radelchis, seized power in Benevento and imprisoned Sicard's heir and brother, Siconulf, in Taranto. Amalfitan merchants rescued Siconulf from prison, and he was proclaimed prince in Salerno. A civil war erupted in the Italian Mezzogiorno. In 847, Emperor Lothair I had Guy I of Spoleto and Sergius I of Naples mediate a division of the great Lombard principality. In 851, Louis, King of Italy, divided the principality into two sections: one with its capital at Salerno and another with the original Benevento.
Salerno consisted of Taranto, Cassano, Cosenza, Paestum, Conza, Potenza, Sarno, Cimitile (Nola), Capua, Teano, and Sora.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Principality of Salerno (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Principality of Salerno: Key Facts
| Founded | 851 CE |
|---|---|
| Dissolved | 1076 |
Facts from Wikidata Q1065299 (CC0).
Principality of Salerno Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Principality of Salerno appears, with the other states of the time.
Principality of Salerno Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 17,791 km² in 860 CE.
Principality of Salerno: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Principality of Salerno exist?
Principality of Salerno is dated to 840 CE – 1084 CE, in the Early Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of Principality of Salerno?
The capital of Principality of Salerno was Salerno.
How large was Principality of Salerno at its peak?
At its peak in 860 AD Principality of Salerno covered about 17,791 km².
How did the map of Principality of Salerno change over time?
Principality of Salerno appears on 2 dated world maps in the atlas, from 900 CE to 1000 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
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