Jordan II of Capua

Jordan II ( _it. Giordano) (c. 1080 – 19 December 1127), third-born son of Jordan I of Capua and Gaitelgrima, was the second to last count of Aversa and prince of Capua from 10 June 1120 to his death. By his time, the once-great principality of Capua, which had served as a counterpoise to the power of the Hauteville duchy of Apulia, was a small state with little influence or power and, technically at least, a vassal of Apulia, though he did homage to Pope Callistus II in the year of his accession.

He was the youngest of three brothers and so did not expect to inherit. He fought with the troops of his great uncle Roger I of Sicily and became a vassal of his cousin Roger Borsa, duke of Apulia, holding the lordship of Nocera, whereat was built the great castle so important to his son's later fortunes. However, when his elder brother died in 1120, leaving only an infant son, Richard III, who died within a few months under Jordan's regency, he was the only candidate. Contemporary records do not record any details about this Richard's death, though the fact that Jordan stood much to gain and had the means to dispose of his nephew has not been missed by modern historians. He was anointed prince on 4 July. His reign was uneventful, however. He spent much endowing monasteries within his domains. He gave the chapel of S. Fede to the cathedral of Aversa and the castle of Pico to the great Montecassino. He also gave liberally to the bishop of Pozzuoli and is the last prince recorded in the Cassinese necrology. He left a son of ill-repute, Robert, who would lose the principality to the Hautevilles permanently, to succeed him.

References

*Caravale, Mario (ed). "Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani". Rome, 2003.

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