Thread by @DrWatson_writer

**GONNARIO II of Torres**

Thread about the king of Torres who became a monk 👑->⛪ #medievaltwitter #Sardinia #MiddleAge #History #Judicates

Gonnario was born between 1110 and 1114 to the king of Torres, Costantino. We don't know for sure who his mother was. The tradition wants him to be the queen's son but in a document he referred to her as his father's wife, not his mother. It is likely instead that his mother was-

-another woman, another wife or a lover, called Maria De Thori. His not being the queen's son could also explain his troubles in succession.

Written but not trustable sources say he was born to Marcusa de Gunale and Costantino de Lacon after they prayed for a child in Torres-

-and built the church of Santissima Trinità in Saccargia.

Marcusa already had two sons. Saltaro, the oldest, was already known for his fights in the battle of the Balearic Islands.

In 1127, Costantino dies. Gonnario is around 13 yo and has the favour of the Corona de Logu for -

-his official crowning, but his step-brother Saltaro and members of the Athen family don't want that to happen. Gonnario is forced to escape the palace of Ardara with his tutor Ithoccore Gambella, who brings him to the port of Torres. He hands him over to some Pisan merchants-

-to take him to the council of the town.

In Pisa, the council agrees on offering him protection and guarantee him safe return when he's older. Gonnario spends some years at the palace of a local noble, Ugo da Parlascio Ebriaci.

When he's old enough, the Pisan consuls agree-

-that he's grown enough to come back home and offer him military support to fight his enemies. They also agree to his marriage with Ebriaci's daughter, Maria. They marry at around 17 and have 4 sons and a daughter.

Gonnario, Maria and Ebriaci arrive in Torres likely in the -

-summer of 1130. The inhabitants are happy of his return and Gonnario is officially crowned by the Corona de Logu.

With the counsel of his father-in-law and seen the situation in Arborea, Gonnario begins the construction of the castle of Goceano. Comita of Arborea gives -

-him some troubles, but the fight turns to Gonnario's favour with the help of Pisan troops. Comita has to flee his castle in Cabras and eventually stops his attacks.

After Ebriaci's return to Pisa, Gonnario turns his attention to his old enemies, now settled in their lands-

-in Pozzomaggiore. Gonnario sends his troops, slaughtering several members of the Athen family behind the altar of the church of San Nicola of Trullas. Saltaro is not among them.

We find him again in 1136 as witness to a donation, together with Gonnario, Maria & another brother.

This leads to think they reached some kind of agreement, but we don't know for sure how the story ended. This is also the last and only mention of Maria in written records, which leads to think she died young.

In 1335 Gonnario likely went to Pisa to speak with the archbishop-

-and might have met Bernard of Clairvaux. In the same year, a council with the archbishop of Pisa was held in Ardara. Gonnario always recognised his fealty to the archbishop and the Comune.

But Comita comes back at it again, attacking the Logudoro and putting Gonnario in-

-serious trouble. The consuls of Pisa swear to always help Gonnario in his fight and the help arrives through the archbishop, who arrives in Sardinia and excommunicates the judike of Arborea. Comita will die shortly after and his son Barisone -- ⬇️

https://twitter.com/DrWatson_writer/status/1392458230786363392?s=19

-will take his place. The arrival of the archbishop doesn't probably mean excommunication only for Comita. We know Gonnario was responsible for violating the religious sanctuary in the church of Trullas but our partial chronicler didn't tell us anything more.

We know for sure-

-that in 1146 Gonnario took part in the gather of the four judikes organised by Barisone of Arborea in Bonarcado, then he divides the roles to his sons and leaves for Jerusalem, in pilgrimage. We also know Bernard of Clairvaux defended him in a letter to the Pope.

Whatever the reason, Gonnario searches for some spiritual ease in Jerusalem and on the way back to Sardinia, he stops at Montecassino, where Bernard of Clairvaux was staying. They talk, they agree on creating a Cistercian church in Caputabbas and probably talk about Gonnario's-

-personal spiritual issues. Gonnario was already a widower but his children were still young. It is uncertain if he already took some vows at this point in the story. He makes some donations and partially reconstructs his family tree.

He sails back to Sardinia but his ship-

-encounters bad weather. They almost get lost in the sea, but tradition wants after a prayer, they get in sight of land, of a mountain near the area of modern day Nuoro, from the gulf of Orosei. Finally safe, Gonnario reaches the mountain and builds a church, dedicated to-

-the Virgin Mary. The mountain now bears the name of Monte Gonare and it's peculiar because you can see Sardinia from side to side from its top.

Gonnario comes back to Torres and co-rules with his son Barisone. His step-mother Marcusa already left for Messina some time back-

-we don't know more about Saltaro.

In 1153, one year after the death of Bernard of Clairvaux and once his children are old enough, Gonnario abdicates his role. He renounces to all his possessions and titles and reaches Clairvaux, where he takes the vows at age 40 and becomes-

-a Cistercian monk. He died rather old for the time, beyond 80yo and probably older. He wins even just for the fact he didn't have a violent death, in a period where this wasn't unlikely.

He's also remembered as a Blessed of the Cistercian order, since he renounced the earthly-

-wealth and power of his role as head of the Judicate of Torres to become a monk.