MANFRED (c. 1231-1266), regent and king of the Two Sicilies, a natural son of the emperor Frederick II. by Bianca Lanzia, the daughter of a Lombard earl, was born in Sicily about 1231, and received from his father the title of prince of Tarentum in 1248. Frederick II. at his death appointed him regent of the Two Sicilies during the absence of his brother Conrad IV., and notwithstanding the hostility of Innocent IV., and the revolt of many nobles and towns in Apulia at the instigation of that pontiff, he was able in 1252 to hand over to Conrad an undivided sovereignty. On the death of the latter in 1254, Manfred was once more called to the regency in the interests of his infant nephew Conradin, and by his victory over the forces of Innocent IV. at Foggia on December 2d of that year was able to establish his authority over the entire kingdom. When in 1258 rumours had reached Sicily of the death of Conradin, Manfred, yielding to the solicitations of his prelates, barons, and people, allowed himself to be crowned at Palermo on August 11. Shortly afterwards envoys arrived from the mother of Conradin to say that he was still alive, and to demand the crown for him; but this the king, strong in the popularity which he had acquired by his brave defence of his country, by his pleasing person, and by his many accomplishments, declined to give, promising only to preserve the crown for his nephew, and faithfully to bequeath it to him on his own death. Excommunicated in 1259 by Alexander IV., Manfred again resorted to arms, and overrunning the papal states, was made master of Tuscany by the battle of Monte Aperto (September 4, 1260). Now at the height of his power, he was anew excommunicated by Urban IV. in 1261, and in 1263 his forfeited crown was offered to Charles, count of Anjou, ...

MANFREDONIA, a seaport and city of Italy, in the province of Foggia, the see of an archbishop, and the centre of a maritime district, lies 22 miles north-east of Foggia, with which it is connected by railway. The situation, on the shores of the Gulf of Manfredonia and at the foot of Monte Gargano, is finely sheltered, and the vegetation of the district is similar to that of Sicily. A castle dating from the 13th century protects the port, and the city is surrounded by walls and towers. The principal building is the cathedral. Though the anchorage is available only for small vessels, a fair trade is carried on in the export of grain. While in 1863 there entered in all 418 vessels with a total burden of 20,346 tons, in 1880 the burden of the 463 vessels was only 10,832 tons. The population of the commune in 1881 was 9401.

Manfredonia is the historical representative of Sipontum, a Roman municipium and colony of some mark, which lay about 1 ⅛ miles to the south. The ancient city having greatly declined, partly owing to the unhealthiness of its situation and partly to the disasters of war, Manfred transferred its inhabitants to the present site in 1261. For a time Manfredonia flourished greatly, but the ravages of the Turks in 1620 proved fatal to its development. The site of Sipontum is marked by the ancient church of Santa Maria di Siponto.