From 1045 to 1210, from the County of Bojano to the County of Molise
Rudolph of Moulins and the Duchy of Bojano.
The Norman leader Rudolph of Moulins, descended into Southern Italy with the Altavilla, conquered the County of Bojano. It is with the arrival of the Normans and the de Moulins family, between the late 11th century and the early 12th century, that the toponym Comitatus Molisii began to assert itself, referring to the county of Bojano, which, at the same time, had incorporated other counties where other feudal lords ruled. Rudolph of Moulins (also known as Rao or Rudolph De Molisio or di Molise) was the first count of Molise. Territories such as Venafro, Larino, Trivento, Isernia, Campomarino, the Matese mountains, Pietrabbondante, Termoli, Mignano up to Capracotta, Capriata, and Prata[5] thus came under the lordship of the de Moulins. At the same time, the city of Campobasso assumed an increasingly important economic role, managing to become the 'capital' of the County. The name Molise, therefore, appears in the central Middle Ages to identify a county belonging to the Norman family of de Moulins.
Map of the County of Molise Dynasty of the Counts of Molise, of the de Moulins lineage Count Guidomondo; Norman Lord of Castrum Molinis (Mortagne-au-Perche);
A1. Rudolph de Moulins (or di Molhouse, de Molinis or Molisio) - Norman leader 1st Count of Boiano and of Comitatus Molisii (circa 1053);
B1. Guidomondo son of Rudolph de Moulins - 2nd Count of Boiano and of Comitatus Molisii;
C1. Rudolph II son of Guidomondo and Emma d'Eboli - 3rd Count of Boiano and of Comitatus Molisii (1092);
D1. Hugh I; 4th Count of Boiano (1095) - Count of Molise;
In 1130 Hugh II had transferred his residence from Bojano to a fortified village called MOLISE, not far from Bojano, which corresponds to the Historic Center of the present Municipality of Molise (CB). Even today, the Historic Center of the Municipality of Molise (CB) is enclosed by perimeter walls and is accessed from the same points as in 1130, namely from a Gate to the East and a Gate to the West. The urban footprint of the fortified village has remained almost unchanged since 1130, except for some towers no longer visible but previously existing. The planimetric representation of the fortified village or the Historic Center of the Municipality of Molise (CB) has the shape of a diamond with circular towers at its vertices, still visible by examining the planimetry of the urban area which is in Sheet no. 8 of the Cadastre of Molise (CB). By observing the maps of the County of Molise published here, it is possible to identify the location of the Municipality of Molise (CB), which is positioned planimetrically between Frosolone (IS) and Torella del Sannio (CB). Later, Hugh II moved his residence from the fortified village of Molise (CB) to Campobasso. In 1144, he assumed the definitive title of Count of Molise, unifying all titles conferred on the de Molinis family. (References to the Municipality of Molise - CB inserted by Nicolino Ugo Liberanome).
E1. Simon; 2nd Count of Molise; E2. Hugh II (1128-1160); 3rd Count of Molise; F1. Richard of Molise or of Mandra[6]; 4th Count of Molise; he was the son of Hugh II of Molise and an illegitimate daughter of King Roger of Sicily[7]. G1. Roger; 5th Count of Molise; in 1170; The lineage of the de Molise ended in 1326 with the death of William Clarisia de Molisio.
Thus, a territorial entity was formed by unifying various counties under the control of the County of Bojano, which the Normans called Comitatus Molisii or County of Molise, which would maintain its own distinctive identity over the centuries. The family's dominion ended towards the end of the 12th century. This condition also marked the end of the County, which fragmented into small fiefs. Descended from the Counts of Molise, presumably, were other families such as Montagano, Luparia, Pietravalle, Montaquila, Busso, Castropignano, Cantalupo, Pescolanciano, Santangelo, Gambatesa, whose names derive from their respective fiefs."