Duke Argyros sailed to besiege Trani; but after a month he was bought off by offer of Byzantine honours

Summary:
Argyros, son of Melus went by sea to besiege Trani, though the people there had not harmed the people of Bari. He had a variety of siege-machines, including an enormously tall wooden tower. However after 36 days of siege, he received a letter from Konstantinos IX via the messenger Theodoretos, who offered him an amnesty and high Byzantine honours, probably the dignity of patrikios. He accepted the bribe, burned his siege-engines and returned to Bari 
Dates:
1042 July-August 
Argyros, son of Melus (Argyros 10101)
  • Although the people of Trani had not harmed Bari, from the last week of June Argyros, with troops from Bari and Normans, besieged Trani closely for 36 days, pressing the siege by assaults and other means, especially a gigantic wooden tower (: ) Annales Barenses 56.7-16
  • While besieging Trani he received a guarantee from Constantinople of a high position (patrikios, katepano or vest[iarites?]), ordered the siege-engines to be burned, returned to Bari, and with his fellow-citizens began to praise Konstantinos 9 (: ) susceptis imperialibus litteris foederatis et patriciatus an cathepanatus vel vestati honoribus Annales Barenses 56.16-20
  • On july 3 he captured Giovinazzo; in the month of August he went to besiege Trani, and the siege continued for a month (July 3; August:3. die intrante Iulio; in mense Augusti) Lupus protospatharius 58.27-29
  • He went by sea to besiege Trani, with a tall wooden tower and various siege-engines; then he received a letter via Theodoretos 10101 from Konstantinos 9, offering an amnesty and the dignity of patrikios; he burned all siege-engines and returned to Bari (: ) Anonymus Barensis 151
Emperor Konstantinos IX Monomachos (Konstantinos 9)
  • He sent to Argyros 10101 while besieging Trani a guarantee of a high imperial position (patrikios, katepano or vest[es?]), so that he changed sides; he burned his siege-engines, returned to Bari, and, with fellow-citizens, praised Konstantinos (: ) susceptis imperialibus litteris foederatis et patriciatus an cathepanatus vel vestati honoribus Annales Barenses 56.16-20
  • He sent Theodoretos 10101 Monomachos with imperial letters to Argyros 10101, offering him amnesty and the dignity of patrikios; Argyros burned all his siege-engines and returned to Bari (: ) Anonymus Barensis 150
Theodoretos, messenger of Konstantinos IX (Theodoretos 10101)
  • He was sent to the besieged city of Trani by Konstantinos 9 Monomachos with imperial letters to promise Argyros 10101 an amnesty and the dignity of patrikios; he was successful, as Argyros burned all his siege-machines and returned to Bari (: ) Anonymus Barensis 151