Duchy of Friuli
Duchy of Friuli | |||||||||
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| 568–828 | |||||||||
The Duchy of Friuli in the northeast within Lombard Italy | |||||||||
| Status | |||||||||
| Capital | Cividale | ||||||||
| Common languages | |||||||||
| Duke of Friuli | |||||||||
• 568-~584 or 568/c.584–590 | Grasulf I or Gisulf I (first) | ||||||||
• 774-776 | Hrodgaud | ||||||||
• 819-828 | Baldric (last) | ||||||||
| Historical era | Early Middle Ages | ||||||||
• Established | 568 | ||||||||
• Avar invasion | 610 | ||||||||
• Lombard Kingdom conquered | 773-774 | ||||||||
• Divided into smaller counties | 828 | ||||||||
• Reestablished as the March of Friuli | 846 | ||||||||
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| Today part of | Friuli-Venezia Giulia | ||||||||
The Duchy of Friuli (Latin: Ducatus Foroiuliensis) was a Lombard duchy in present-day Friuli, the first to be established after the conquest of the Italian peninsula in 568. It was one of the largest domains in Langobardia Major and an important buffer between the Lombard kingdom and the Slavs, Avars, and the Byzantine Empire. The original chief city in the province was Roman Aquileia, but the Lombard capital of Friuli was Forum Julii, modern Cividale.
Along with the dukes of Spoleto, Benevento and Trent, the lords of Friuli often attempted to establish their independence from the royal authority seated at Pavia, though to no avail. After the Lombard campaign of Charlemagne and the defeat of King Desiderius in 774, Friuli was incorporated into the Carolingian Empire, but the last Lombard duke Hrodgaud of Friuli was left at his post, until he rebelled in 776, and was deposed.
Under Carolingian rule, the duchy gradually expanded into a wast frontier province, since Franks took Istria from the Byzantines in 788, and then continued to advance towards east during the Avar Wars in the 790s. Newly acquired eastern territories, from Carniola to Lower Pannonia were also placed under administration of Frankish dukes of Friuli, until 828, when the duchy was finally divided into four counties, with central Friulian region being consequently organized as the March of Friuli.