Duchy of Amalfi

The Duchy of Amalfi (Latin: Ducatus Amalphitanus) or the Republic of Amalfi was a de facto independent state centered on the Southern European city of Amalfi during the 10th and 11th centuries. The city and its territory were originally part of the larger Duchy of Naples, governed by a patrician, but it extracted itself from Byzantine vassalage and first elected a duke (or doge) in 958.

During the 10th and 11th centuries Amalfi was estimated to have a population of 50,000–70,000 people. It rose to become an economic powerhouse, a commercial center whose merchants dominated Mediterranean and Italian trade in the ninth and tenth centuries, before being surpassed and superseded by the other maritime republics of the North and the Centre: Pisa, Venice, Genoa, Ancona and Gaeta. In 1073, Amalfi lost its independence, falling to Norman invasion and subsequently to Pisa in 1137.

History

The city of Amalfi started as a trading place in the year 339. Its first bishop was chosen in 596. In 838, the city was taken over by a ruler named Sicard of Benevento, who was helped by some people inside Amalfi. Later, in 839, Amalfi broke free from rule by the Lombards and chose a leader called a prefect. Nearby Atrani helped in these early elections.

Amalfi worked to support Siconulf against the Prince of Benevento. In 897, Amalfi lost a war against Sorrento but later became its own republic, still loosely connected to the Byzantine Empire. In 914, a man named Mastalus I became the first judge. In 903, Amalfi and Naples tried to fight against Arab groups near the Garigliano river but were unsuccessful. In 915, Amalfi chose not to fight the Arabs in the Battle of Garigliano because they were trading with the Fatimid Caliphate.

In 958, Mastalus II was killed, and Sergius I became the first duke, also known as a doge. From 981 to 983, Amalfi controlled the area around Salerno. In 987, Amalfi’s church became an important archiepiscopal seat. Later, Amalfi was taken over by the Principality of Capua and then Salerno. In 1073, a man named Robert Guiscard conquered Amalfi. Amalfi tried to fight back in 1096 and again in 1130 but was defeated in 1131. In the years 1135 and 1137, the city was attacked by Pisa and never fully recovered its former greatness.

Importance

See also: Hospital of St. John (Jerusalem)

After breaking free from control by nearby rulers, the people of Amalfi became independent. They built a strong presence at sea and traded with many places. Amalfi had important ties with the Byzantine Empire and the Fatimid Caliphate. During the 10th and 11th centuries, many people from Amalfi lived in Constantinople. They also set up places for Christian travelers in the Levant, such as in Jerusalem and Antioch. Amalfi was a key player in trade with North Africa and the Levant, and one of their main products was the chestnut.

Legacy

Even after losing its independence in 1137, the city of Amalfi stayed important for sea trade for about 200 years. In 1343, a big earthquake and a storm damaged most of its harbor. One big achievement from Amalfi was improving the compass. Between 1295 and 1302, Flavio Gioia changed the compass from a needle in water to the box-shaped compass we use today.

The Knights Hospitaller, a group of soldiers who helped during the Crusades, started with monks from Amalfi. They used a special eight-pointed cross from the duchy as one of their symbols. Later, when they moved to Malta, this symbol became known as the Maltese cross and is still used by the Sovereign Military Order of Malta today.