European Kingdoms

Byzantine Exarchate of Ravenna
AD 552 - 754

The imperial court of the Western Roman empire had been moved from Milan to the more easily defendable location of Ravenna, located in the middle of an area of swamp and marsh, in 402 by the Emperor Honorius. When the West fell to Odoacer's Gothic kingdom, the Eastern Roman empire (Byzantium) was in no fit state to immediately recover it. Instead, they invited the Ostrogoths to invade and rule it for them, and good relations were maintained until the Ostrogothic kingdom started to fall apart from within.

The strong sixth century reign of Emperor Justinian I saw a successful campaign under General Belisarius which began the long process of recapturing much of Italy for the empire. It certainly was a long process, however, taking nearly twenty years against an Ostrogothic enemy that was revived and hardened by a determined King Baduila. He employed sensible tactics against the much larger Byzantine forces and maintained a disciplined and ordered army. After over a decade of leading the fight, he was finally killed in battle in 552, and with him Ostrogothic resistance was virtually over. The exarchate at Ravenna became the centre of Byzantine rule in Italy under Belisarius, including the marsh region which later became Venice. But its function was somewhat compromised by the invasion of the Lombards into northern Italy.

535 - 540

Belisarius

Byzantine military governor. Formerly governed North Africa.

536 - 537

General Belisarius of the Eastern Roman empire enters Rome shortly before it is besieged by the Ostrogoth King Vittigis. The city suffers starvation until the siege is lifted and Belisarius pursues his opponents.

536 - 540

The Ostrogoth King Vittigis flees from Rome to Ravenna, but his people are subjugated in the same year.

541

At last blessed with a strong and determined ruler once again, the Ostrogoths under Baduila immediately collect together to throw off a badly organised Byzantine attack on their stronghold at Verona. Baduila is determined to win back control of Italy in the face of the creeping Byzantine conquest. Belisarius is kept in Constantinople by the emperor who is jealous of his success.

542 - 544

The Ostrogoths win the Battle of Faventia (modern Faenza) in spring 542, but very quickly an even greater success aids them. Shortly after the 'Plague of Justinian' strikes Constantinople with the arrival of bubonic plague, it quickly spreads to Italy. The Byzantine empire is devastated by it, and critically weakened at the point at which it is about to conquer all of Italy and bring it under the rule of one Roman emperor for the first time since 395.

544 - 548

Belisarius

546

The Ostrogoths recapture Rome under the leadership of Baduila. An attempt by the much larger Byzantine forces to relieve it narrowly fails and it is sacked by the otherwise merciful and disciplined Ostrogoths. However, they withdraw to Apulia and the see-saw battles continue, with the Ostrogoths generally avoiding the strongly-defended cities.

552/3 - 567/8

Narses / Narsete

Byzantine eunuch general who liberated Rome. First exarch.

552 - 553

Rome is finally retaken by Byzantium, which now governs Italy from Ravenna. A final defeat in battle near Mount Vesuvius in 553 means the end of Ostrogothic rule in Italy. The Ostrogoths as a fighting body march out of Italy to join other barbarian groups north of the Alps.

568 - 569

The Lombards enter northern Italy, intent on conquering it and creating their own kingdom. The first Roman city to fall is that of Forum Iulii (now Cividale de Friuli), with small Eastern Roman defensive forces from Ravenna unable to offer any viable opposition (and perhaps not even bothering to try). The first Lombard duchy is created here, the duchy of Friuli. In the same year, Vicenza, Verona and Brescia also fall to Alboin, followed by a great prize in the capture of Milan.

568 - 573

Longinus

569 - 571

Eastern Roman Emperor Justin II sends Longinus to stem the Lombard advance, but he can do little but defend the coastal territories with the powerful Byzantine fleet. Inland, territorial gains to the south of the exarchate are quickly formalised in the shape of the duchies of Benevento and Spoleto. Rome is temporarily isolated during this period and records destroyed, leaving little information about the pontificate of John III.

572

After a siege lasting three years, the city of Pavia falls to the Lombards. They make it the first capital of their new kingdom. Although Ravenna manages to retain control of the region around this imperial city, and also re-secures Rome through a narrow corridor of territory running through Perugia, the Lombards still have free access to southern Italy and their conquests there. Ravenna also controls the extreme south of Italy, below Benevento, along with Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, and a wide strip of territory between Rome and Lombardic northern Italy.

573 - 575

Ravenna is almost certainly behind the murders of the powerful Lombard king, Alboin, in 573, and his successor in 575. Such plotting removes a powerful figure of opposition, severely damages Lombard unity, and raises the possibility of the Byzantine reconquest of Italy.

575 - 576

Badaurius

576 - 585

Decius

584/585

The Lombards invade the Merovingian Frankish region of Provence. In return, the Frankish king of Austrasia, Childebert II, and Guntramn, king of Burgundy, invade Lombard Italy. They capture Trent and open negotiations with the Eastern Roman emperor via Ravenna, perhaps with the view of carving up Italy between them. The Lombards, fearing Frankish domination, elect a king to end their disunity. He is successful in throwing out the invaders and restoring the strength of the kingdom.

585 - 589

Smaragdus

589 - 598

Romanus

598 - 603

Callinicus

601 - 603

King Agilulf of Lombardy fights a successful series of campaigns against rebel dukes in northern Italy, capturing Padua in 601, and Cremona and Mantua in 603. He is also successful in forcing the exarch of Ravenna to pay a sizable tribute.

603 - 611

Smaragdus

Restored.

611 - 616

John I Lemigius

616 - 619

Eleutherius

A eunuch. Declared himself emperor in 619. Died 620.

616 - 617

John of Conza

Rebel who seized Naples. Killed by Eleutherius.

616 - 617

Eleutherius puts to death all those who are implicated in the death of his predecessor, but immediately Naples is withdrawn from his control by one John of Conza. Eleutherius marches on the city, retakes it and kills the rebel. To make the situation worse the Lombards threaten to attack, so they have to be bought off with promises of an annual tribute.

619 - 620

Following growing discontent with the exarchate's Byzantine masters, Eleutherius notes the emperor's focus is on fighting the Sassanids and takes the opportunity to declare himself emperor. In 620 he marches on Rome, intent on making it his capital, but he is murdered by his own troops.

620 - 637

Isaac

638 - 648

Plato

643

One of the most active of Lombard kings since Alboin, Rotharis conquers Linguria, and then the surviving Byzantine territories of Inner Veneto, dealing another blow to the fading authority of the exarch at Ravenna.

648 - 649

Theodore I Calliopas

649 - 652

Olympus

652 - 666

Theodore I Calliopas

Restored.

666 - 678

Gregory

678 - 687

Theodore II

683

Following the short-lived declaration of independence by the archbishop of Ravenna (about 670-678), the independence of the see of Ravenna is suppressed. Rome's rights over the see are confirmed by Byzantine Emperor Constantine IV.

687 - 702

John II Platinus / Platyn

687

The rivalry between the two candidates for the papacy - Paschal and Theodorus - erupts into open conflict before a third candidate, Sergius, is elected Pope. Paschal offers John II Platinus gold in exchange for military support. The exarch arrives in Rome to collect his gold, and collects it by looting St Peter's (Old) Basilica, before departing back to Ravenna. Paschal is arrested and confined to a monastery on charges of witchcraft.

697

The Byzantine tribunes are substituted in Venice with an elective, life-long office.

702 - 710

Theophylactus

710 - 711

John III Rizocopo

711 - 713

Entichius

713 - 727

Scholasticus

726

The Lombards take control of the exarchate. Byzantine imperial authority is no longer recognised.

727 - 728

Paul

Under Lombard control.

728

The Byzantines recover the exarchate, although control over Venice is weaker now.

728 - 752

Eutychius

Under Byzantine control.

752

The exarchate is recaptured by the Lombards, permanently ending Byzantine influence in Italy.

754

Rome is delivered from Lombard attack by Pepin III, king of the Franks. This fulfils his role as the ordained protector of the church following Pope Stephen's visit to Paris, during which he re-consecrated the Frankish king. The ex-Byzantine exarchate of Ravenna is transferred to the pope in the form of the Papal States.

755 - 756

The exarchate is briefly re-captured by the resurgent Lombards in 755, but the following year the Carolingian Franks recapture the territory. The ex-Byzantine exarchate is handed back to Rome as the Papal States and northern Italy becomes part of the Carolingian empire. The Papal States are autonomously controlled by the archbishops of Ravenna until 1218.