- William of Capraia
William of Capraia (died 1264) was the regent for
Marianus II of Arborea from 1241 until his death, being entitled "Judge" from 1250 on.Early life
He was the son of
Ugo degli Alberti of theCounts of Capraia and Bina, the first wife ofPeter I of Arborea , whom he divorced in 1191 and who subsequently remarried (1193).The regency
When
Peter II of Arborea died in 1241, William immediately assumed the regency with the alliance of theGherardeschi , counts ofDonoratico , and theVisconti . On29 September 1250 ,Pope Innocent IV recognised his sovereignty in Arborea, though theCorona de Logu never did.War
In 1257, William led Arborea, along with Gallura and Logudoro, the Pisan "giudicati", into a war against Genoese Cagliari. After fourteen months of war, the deposed
judge of Cagliari , Salusio VI, was forced to flee and his "giudicato" was divided up between the victors: a third to Gallura, a third to Arborea, and a third to the Gherardeschi of Pisa. Salusio's capital,Santa Igia , was destroyed.Ogliastra andSarrabus went toJohn Visconti of Gallura, while the "curatori" ofGippi ,Nuraminis ,Trexenta ,Marmilla inferiore ,Dolia ,Gerrei , andBarbagia di Seulo went to Arborea.Sulcis ,Cixerri ,Nora , andDecimo were granted to Gherardo andUgolino della Gherardesca , counts of Donoratico, while Cagliari itself went to the commune of Pisa. By its expansion into the interior of the island, Arborea ensured its longterm survival in the face of external foes.Claims to Logudoro
Next, William pressed his claims to Logudoro — derived from
Hugh I of Arborea , who was a uterine brother ofMarianus II of Logudoro — by arms. In 1259, he entered into a lifelong battle with theDoria of Genoa after the death of Adelasia, the last ruler of the native dynasty in Logudoro.Death
When he died in 1264, William left the regency-judgeship to his son Nicholas.
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