Gonario II of Torres

Who is Gonario II of Torres?

Gonario II was the giudice of Logudoro from the death of his father to his own abdication in 1154. He was a son of Constantine I and Marcusa de Gunale. He was born between 1113 and 1114 according to later sources and the Camaldolese church of S. Trinità di Saccargia was founded in his name by his parents on 16 December 1112, though it wasn't consecrated until 5 October 1116.

Constantine died between 1127 and 1128, leaving his son under the regency of Ittocorre Gambella. When the Athen family tried to harm the young ruler, Ittocorre whisked him away to Porto Torres and the protection of the Pisans, who took him to Pisa and the house of Ugo da Parlascio Ebriaco. When he turned seventeen, he married Ebriaco's daughter and returned to Sardinia, with Pisan permission and four armed galleys. His father-in-law was part of this expedition to repossess his giudicato. Together they landed at Torres and marched on Ardara, the location of the judicial palace, and took it. Controlling the giudicato again, they began construction of a castle at Goceano to guard the frontier. At this time, Comita II of Arborea allied with the Republic of Genoa to defend himself from filopisano Logudoro, thus dividing the island's allegiance.