Henry of Morra (died September 1242) was a nobleman, judicial official and sometime regent of the Kingdom of Sicily, which at the time covered both the island of Sicily and the mainland southern Italy. As master justiciar of the Magna Curia from 1223 until his death, he was the most prominent official in the Sicilian court of Frederick II, King of Sicily and Holy Roman Emperor.
Morra
Rome
Palermo
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Places where Henry was active. Palermo was the capital of the kingdom, Morra the seat of his barony.
Henry held the barony of Morra in the county of Conza.[1] He was a familiaris regis (member of the royal household) and a judge who sat on the Magna Curia (Great Court).[1][2] Although the Magna Curia was reserved for professional jurists after 1221,[1] it is unlikely that Henry had any special training.[3] He succeeded Bishop Richer of Melfi as president of the Curia sometime between March 1221 and the first months of 1223. He continued to preside over the Curia until his death with the title of "master justiciar of the imperial great court".[4] From this point on, he often acted as Frederick II's prime minister.[5]
Early in his tenure, while the Magna Curia sat in Palermo on the island, Henry was "in the emperor's service" (pro imperialibus servitiis) on the mainland. He was Sorrento in June 1223, at Salerno in September and in the Terra di Lavoro in November. His remit often saw him enforcing the Assizes of Capua in favour of the church against the nobility and even against the government. He found in favour of Santa Maria de Luco in May 1224, in favour of the provost of Santa Maria di Mugilano in July 1225, in favour of the abbey of Montecassino in May 1226, in favour of the bishop of Rapolla in October 1230 and in favour of two dependencies of Montecassino in July 1232. At Taranto in March 1231, he sat on a tribunal with Roffredo di San Germano and Pier della Vigna to hear an appeal from the procurator of the abbey of La Trinità della Cava against the baron Gualtiero Gentile. They rewarded the abbey possession of Casalrotto.[1]
In 1231, he ordered Robert of Busso to conduct an inquiry into gangs, forgers, gamblers, taverners and murderers, as well as luxurious living, carrying weapons around in public and raping women at San Germano. Henry made himself locally unpopular by publishing the names of both informants and accused in January 1232.[6]
Henry was present for the drafting and issuing of the Constitutions of Melfi in 1230–1231. In 1232, he was a member of an embassy to Gregory IX in Rome. He was back in Apulia by January 1233.[1] In April 1235, he was selected by Frederick to be one of the five members of a regency council during Frederick's absence in Germany, which lasted five years.[a] During this time, Henry and fellow regent Thomas of Acerra visited the emperor in Germany in 1236 and 1237.[1]
In the autumn of 1237, Henry inspected the work on fortifications at San Germano and levied fines on those who drew away workers.[6] In 1237 and 1238, he visited Frederick in northern Italy. From August 1239 until at least December 1240, he and the rest of the Magna Curia were with the imperial court in northern Italy. He presided over a meeting of the Curia in Faenza in December 1240, which is the latest notice of his activity. According to Richard of San Germano's chronicle, he died in September 1242.[1]
Familyedit
Henry had three sons and a daughter. James was the captain general of the Duchy of Spoleto from 1240 to 1242 and vicar general of the March of Ancona in 1244.[1] Geoffrey and Roger were involved in a conspiracy to assassinate Frederick in 1246.[8] They were arrested and either blinded or executed. Henry's only known daughter, Anna, married James, baron of Roccaromana, in 1228.[1]
Notesedit
^The other four original members were Thomas of Acerra and archbishops Berard of Palermo [it], James of Capua and Tancred of Otranto. In 1235 or 1236, the late Tancred was replaced by Bishop Peter of Ravello.[1][2]
^Matthew 1992, p. 358: "cannot have been trained in any conscious way for a life of public service".
^Houben 2005: magne imperialis curie magister iustitiarius.
^Matthew 1992, p. 326: "already, by 1223, Henry de Morra ... had become his principal minster". Houben 2005: "becoming in practice a kind of prime minister" (diventando in pratica una specie di primo ministro) in 1239.
^Matthew 1992, p. 360, says that James was also involved in this conspiracy, but Houben 2005 mentions only Geoffrey and Roger.
Bibliographyedit
Houben, Hubert (2005). "Enrico di Morra". Enciclopedia Federiciana. Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana Treccani.
Matthew, Donald (1992). The Norman Kingdom of Sicily. Cambridge University Press.
December 12, 2023
henry, morra, died, september, 1242, nobleman, judicial, official, sometime, regent, kingdom, sicily, which, time, covered, both, island, sicily, mainland, southern, italy, master, justiciar, magna, curia, from, 1223, until, death, most, prominent, official, s. Henry of Morra died September 1242 was a nobleman judicial official and sometime regent of the Kingdom of Sicily which at the time covered both the island of Sicily and the mainland southern Italy As master justiciar of the Magna Curia from 1223 until his death he was the most prominent official in the Sicilian court of Frederick II King of Sicily and Holy Roman Emperor MorraRomePalermoclass notpageimage Places where Henry was active Palermo was the capital of the kingdom Morra the seat of his barony Contents 1 Curial official 2 Regent and chief minister 3 Family 4 Notes 5 References 5 1 BibliographyCurial official editHenry held the barony of Morra in the county of Conza 1 He was a familiaris regis member of the royal household and a judge who sat on the Magna Curia Great Court 1 2 Although the Magna Curia was reserved for professional jurists after 1221 1 it is unlikely that Henry had any special training 3 He succeeded Bishop Richer of Melfi as president of the Curia sometime between March 1221 and the first months of 1223 He continued to preside over the Curia until his death with the title of master justiciar of the imperial great court 4 From this point on he often acted as Frederick II s prime minister 5 Early in his tenure while the Magna Curia sat in Palermo on the island Henry was in the emperor s service pro imperialibus servitiis on the mainland He was Sorrento in June 1223 at Salerno in September and in the Terra di Lavoro in November His remit often saw him enforcing the Assizes of Capua in favour of the church against the nobility and even against the government He found in favour of Santa Maria de Luco in May 1224 in favour of the provost of Santa Maria di Mugilano in July 1225 in favour of the abbey of Montecassino in May 1226 in favour of the bishop of Rapolla in October 1230 and in favour of two dependencies of Montecassino in July 1232 At Taranto in March 1231 he sat on a tribunal with Roffredo di San Germano and Pier della Vigna to hear an appeal from the procurator of the abbey of La Trinita della Cava against the baron Gualtiero Gentile They rewarded the abbey possession of Casalrotto 1 In 1231 he ordered Robert of Busso to conduct an inquiry into gangs forgers gamblers taverners and murderers as well as luxurious living carrying weapons around in public and raping women at San Germano Henry made himself locally unpopular by publishing the names of both informants and accused in January 1232 6 Regent and chief minister editIn 1226 Henry exercised the regency in the Duchy of Apulia while Frederick was fighting the Lombard League in northern Italy In 1229 during the War of the Keys between Frederick and Pope Gregory IX he defended the Campania from invasion On 17 March he suffered a defeat near San Germano at the hands of Pandulf of Anagni 1 He retreated to Capua and launched punitive attacks towards Benevento 7 Henry was present for the drafting and issuing of the Constitutions of Melfi in 1230 1231 In 1232 he was a member of an embassy to Gregory IX in Rome He was back in Apulia by January 1233 1 In April 1235 he was selected by Frederick to be one of the five members of a regency council during Frederick s absence in Germany which lasted five years a During this time Henry and fellow regent Thomas of Acerra visited the emperor in Germany in 1236 and 1237 1 In the autumn of 1237 Henry inspected the work on fortifications at San Germano and levied fines on those who drew away workers 6 In 1237 and 1238 he visited Frederick in northern Italy From August 1239 until at least December 1240 he and the rest of the Magna Curia were with the imperial court in northern Italy He presided over a meeting of the Curia in Faenza in December 1240 which is the latest notice of his activity According to Richard of San Germano s chronicle he died in September 1242 1 Family editHenry had three sons and a daughter James was the captain general of the Duchy of Spoleto from 1240 to 1242 and vicar general of the March of Ancona in 1244 1 Geoffrey and Roger were involved in a conspiracy to assassinate Frederick in 1246 8 They were arrested and either blinded or executed Henry s only known daughter Anna married James baron of Roccaromana in 1228 1 Notes edit The other four original members were Thomas of Acerra and archbishops Berard of Palermo it James of Capua and Tancred of Otranto In 1235 or 1236 the late Tancred was replaced by Bishop Peter of Ravello 1 2 References edit a b c d e f g h i j k Houben 2005 a b Matthew 1992 p 347 Matthew 1992 p 358 cannot have been trained in any conscious way for a life of public service Houben 2005 magne imperialis curie magister iustitiarius Matthew 1992 p 326 already by 1223 Henry de Morra had become his principal minster Houben 2005 becoming in practice a kind of prime minister diventando in pratica una specie di primo ministro in 1239 a b Matthew 1992 p 344 Matthew 1992 p 334 Matthew 1992 p 360 says that James was also involved in this conspiracy but Houben 2005 mentions only Geoffrey and Roger Bibliography edit Houben Hubert 2005 Enrico di Morra Enciclopedia Federiciana Istituto dell Enciclopedia Italiana Treccani Matthew Donald 1992 The Norman Kingdom of Sicily Cambridge University Press Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Henry of Morra amp oldid 1072474407, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
