The Middle Ages in Italy, and how medieval culture and history influenced the construction of an Italian identity (national or regional).

Italian thrones were united under the single ruler - Otto I . This were also difficult times for the popes , the decadency ended after Silvester II got the post of a pope under the emperor Otto III . By the year 774 the country was finally separated into southern and northern parts (Epstein , 42

The forces of the Franks and the Byzantines had absolutely separate powers over the certain parts of the country . When in 839 Sicard was murdered , the civil war blazed up . The power in the south belonged to the aristocracy that had

to decide whom to give the status of the prince . As a result some part of them voted for Radelchis I and the second half chose Siconulf . When in 849 Louis II became the King of Italy , the first thing that he decided to do , was to stop the confrontation of the Lombards , and then he divided the principality into that of Beneveto and another of Salerno (Larner , 37

However not all Greek cities were dependent on Byzantium , for example Naples had absolutely different authorities . Naples was developing its connection to Constantinople and even started to produce its own money In 840 people of Naples elected Sergius I , as a ruler and he became the founder of the Sergi dynasty for the next several hundreds of years (Falassi , 77

The years from 849 till 915 were called the period of confusion , which was the result of movements for independence organized by different cities of the country . In Salerno Sico II was removed and only in 861 the Dauferidi gained power (Larner , 41

In the 11th century the situation changed seriously , the Normans defeated the Lombards and some territories of Byzantium in the south of the country . Logically the Byzantines didn 't want to lose the power they had...