Matteo d'Agello (circa 1135 , Salerno - July 21, 1193 , Palermo ) is an outstanding statesman of the Sicilian kingdom under Kings Wilhelm I the Evil , Wilhelm II the Good and Tancred .
Matteo came from Salerno - the continental capital of the Sicilian kingdom. Actually, most of his life he was known as Matteo di Salerno. The county of Agello was granted by Tancred Richard, son of Matteo, in 1190 , and the new family name was transferred to Matteo at the end of his life. Nevertheless, Matteo went down in history with the surname d'Agello.
Matteo had an outstanding legal education and was brought close to the court by the omnipotent " emir of emirs" Mayo from Bari , taking the position of notary. Based on the composition of the Sicilian delegation in negotiations with Pope Adrian IV in 1156 , which ended with the signing of the Benevento Treaty, historians conclude that it was notary Matteo who was the original author of this treaty. In the following years, Matteo grew more and more thanks to the patronage of Mayo, so that, according to Hugo Falkand , Mayo clearly prepared a young lawyer for his successors. On November 10, 1160, Matteo, learning about the plot against Mayo, vainly warned the minister. During the attempt, which cost Mayo his life, Matteo, who defended his patron, was seriously injured.
Matteo's loyalty exalted him in the eyes of William I, so Matteo managed to save his native Salerno when the king intended to destroy the city for participating in the rebellions of 1160 - 1161 . After the suppression of all the rebellions, William I retired from public affairs, entrusting them to three ministers: the eunuch Peter , the elected bishop of Syracuse, Richard Palmer, and the notary Matteo. Matteo managed from memory to restore the register of lands and fiefs, burned by the rebels during the coup on March 9, 1161 . Matteo received the title of protonotaria
After the death of William I, at the beginning of the regency of Margarita of Navarre ( 1166 ), Matteo, although he occupied a place in the royal council, was pushed to second roles first by the eunuch Peter, and then by the queen's cousin Stephen du Perche . Matteo intended to become chancellor of the kingdom, but this post was granted to Stefan. Offended by Matteo went over to the side of the aristocratic and church opposition, united against the stranger Stephen du Persha. Matteo took part in the conspiracy of Henri de Montescalozo , and after the arrest of the latter in Messina, teamed up with another conspirator Gentile, Bishop of Agrigento .
In March 1168, Matteo was arrested on the orders of Stefan du Persha, but from the Palermo prison, he continued contacts with the remaining conspirators. The riots in Messina , caused by the arbitrariness of one of the French associates Stephen, became the catalyst for the uprising against the Chancellor. The Messinian rebels occupied Reggio Calabria , Rometta , Taormina , freed Henri de Montecalozo and Richard Molise and were preparing to march on Palermo. Following this, an uprising broke out in Palermo, led by Matteo d'Agnello, who had escaped from prison, and the palace Qaeda Richard. Stephen du Persche and his French associates were besieged in the bell tower of the Cathedral of Palermo and, not having any hope of outside help, entered into negotiations with the rebels. In accordance with the agreement, Stefan du Persche and the French were given a ship on which they left Sicily forever the next day.
After the expulsion of Stephen ( 1168 ), his opponents shared power and honors among themselves, effectively removing Queen Regency Margarita of Navarre from her affairs. Matteo again became one of the most important members of the royal council and received the post of vice chancellor (the post of chancellor after Stefan du Persha was vacant for more than 20 years). Matteo retained his position and influence under King William II of Spain. Chronicler Richard of San Germano calls Matteo and the Palermo Archbishop Walter Mill “the two strongest pillars of the kingdom.”
Matteo d'Agello was one of the few advisers who consistently opposed the intention of William II to give his aunt Constance , the potential successor to the throne, for Heinrich Hohenstaufen . Although this marriage was concluded in 1186 , and at the insistence of William II, the barons of the kingdom swore allegiance to Constance as heir to the crown, Matteo, after the death of the king ( 1189 ), opposed the transfer of Sicily to the hands of Constance and her German husband. In the unfolding struggle for the throne between the two "national" candidates - Roger di Andria and Tancred di Lecce - Matteo d'Agello resolutely sided with the latter and secured his coronation in January 1190 . After this, Matteo held successful negotiations and convinced Pope Clement III to recognize Tancred as King of Sicily.
For supporting the new king, Matteo was generously rewarded with Tancred. Matteo himself was granted the post of chancellor in 1190 , vacant after the flight of Stephen du Persha in 1168 . The oldest son, Matteo Richard, was granted the county of Agello, the second son of Nicola soon became Archbishop of Salerno.
At this time, Matteo was already seriously ill with gout, from which he died in 1193 . The main chronicler of this era of the Sicilian kingdom, Peter of Eboli , an ardent supporter of the Hohenstaufen, who therefore hates Tancred and Matteo, claims in his chronicle that Matteo tried to alleviate his suffering by bathing in the blood of newborn babies.
In Palermo, Matteo d'Agello built at his own expense the church of Maggione - an example of late Sicilian-Norman architecture.