Patriarchate of Aquileia
As metropolitans of such an extensive territory, and representatives of Roman civilization among the Ostrogoths and Lombards, the archbishops of Aquileia sought and obtained from their barbarian masters the honorific title of patriarch, personal, however, as yet to each titular of the see.
This title aided in promoting and at the same time justifying the strong tendency towards independence that was quite manifest in the relations of Aquileia with Rome, a trait it shared with its rival, Ravenna, which, less fortunate, never obtained the patriarchal dignity.
Emperor Justinian's decision that Italy, too, should adopt his religious policy which favoured Monophysitism, was met with strong opposition by Aquileia's bishop Macedonius (539–557).
Owing to the acquiescence of Vigilius in the condemnation of the "Three Chapters", the bishops of northern Italy (Liguria and Aemilia) and among them those of the Venetia and Istria, broke off communion with Rome, under the leadership of Macedonius.
In 568, the patriarch of Aquileia was obliged to flee, with the treasures of his church, to the little island of Grado, near Trieste, a last remnant of the imperial possessions in northern Italy.
Various efforts of the popes at Rome and the exarchs at Ravenna, both peaceful and otherwise, met with persistent refusal to renew the bonds of unity until the election of Candidianus (606 or 607) as Metropolitan of Aquileia (in Grado).
King Cunipert summoned the Synod of Pavia (698/699) whereby Old-Aquileia reconciled with Rome, and Pope Gregory II granted the pallium to Patriarch Serenus (715–730) of Aquileia in 723.
Still later, Patriarch Ursus of Aquileia (d. 811) accepted the arbitration of Charlemagne,[citation needed] by which the Carinthian territory north of the Drave was relinquished to Arno of Salzburg.
Poppo, or Wolfgang (1019–1042), a familiar and minister of Emperor Conrad II, consecrated his own cathedral at Aquileia on 13 July 1031, in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In 1047, the Patriarch Eberhard, a German, assisted at the Roman synod of that year, in which it was declared that Aquileia was inferior in honour only to Rome, Ravenna, and Milan.
In 1077, the patriarch Sieghard of Belstein received the ducal title of Friuli from German king Henry IV, an act traditionally regarded as the birth of the state of Aquileia, or the Patrie dal Friûl.
In 1186 Patriarch Godfrey crowned Frederick Barbarossa's son, Henry VI, in the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio in Milan[7] as King of Italy; in retaliation, Pope Urban III deposed him.
In the early 13th century, particularly under Wolfger von Erla (1204–1218) and Berthold (1218–1251), the Patriarchate had a flourishing industry and commerce, favoured by a good road network, as well as a notable cultural activity.
However, late in the century, the Patriarchate had to face the increasing power of the Republic of Venice, as well as the inner strifes between its vassals, and also became entangled in the endless wars between Guelphs and Ghibellines.
In 1411 this turned into a war which was to mark the end of the Patriarchate, Cividale having received support from most of the Friulian communes, the da Carrara of Padua, the Emperor and the King of Hungary, while the latter was backed by the Venetians.
In 1445, after the defeated patriarch Ludovico Trevisan at the Council of Florence had acquiesced in the loss of his ancient temporal estate, in return for an annual salary of 5,000 ducats allowed him from the Venetian treasury, the war was really over.
He awarded (1748–49) to the Archdiocese of Udine the Venetian territory in Friuli, and for the Austrian possessions he created a vicariate apostolic with residence at Gorizia, independent of the Patriarch of Aquileia, and exempt (i.e., immediately dependent on the Holy See), in whose name all jurisdiction was exercised.
