Barisone II (also rendered Barisone II or Barison II) was a medieval Sardinian noble who held the title of Giudice (judge) of the Giudicato of Arborea, one of the four autonomous kingdoms (giudicati) that existed on Sardinia during the High Middle Ages.
Reign
The exact dates of Barisone II’s rule are not uniformly agreed upon in the available historiography. Most scholarly sources place his tenure in the mid‑12th century, roughly between the 1140s and the early 1150s.
Dynastic background
Barisone II belonged to the native Sardinian ruling family that governed Arborea. He is generally regarded as the son and successor of a preceding judge of Arborea, though the precise identity of his father varies among the few surviving contemporary documents, and some genealogical details remain uncertain.
Political activity
During his reign, Barisone II participated in the complex network of alliances that characterized Sardinian politics at the time, notably involving the maritime republics of Pisa and Genoa, as well as the papacy. These alliances were aimed at securing Arborea’s autonomy against both internal rivals and external powers seeking influence on the island. Specific treaties or military actions attributed to Barisone II are mentioned only fragmentarily in charter evidence and later chronologies, and their exact nature is consequently subject to scholarly discretion.
Succession
Barisone II was succeeded by a relative—traditionally identified as his son or close kin—who continued the dynastic line of Arborean judges. The transition of power appears to have been orderly, reflecting the hereditary nature of the giudicato’s rulership.
Historical assessment
Barisone II’s reign is representative of the broader pattern of Sardinian giudicati in the 12th century, wherein local dynasties balanced autonomy with diplomatic reliance on the Italian maritime powers and the Holy See. The paucity of contemporary documentary evidence means that many specifics of his administration, legislation, and personal life remain uncertain.
Note: The information presented reflects the consensus of available medieval records and modern secondary scholarship. Where sources are ambiguous or contradictory, the entry explicitly acknowledges the uncertainty.