Robert Guiscard siezed Petros of Bisignano by a trick

Summary:
Robert Guiscard became a local ruler in Southern Italy. Later he increased the area he controlled by luring his neighbour, Petros of Bisignano (Teras), to meet him for an important discussion. Petros came with an escort, but Guiscard pretended to be frightened of them, so Petros sent them back. When the two were alone, three of Guiscard's men galloped up and carried Petros off to slavery and torture 
Dates:
1052 
three men of Robert Guiscard at Bisignano (Anonymi 137)
  • Galloped into the ditch outside Bisignano where (their master) Robert 61 was conferring with Teras (Petros 106), captured the latter and carried him away to slavery (:) ἐχειρώσαντο τὸν θαυμαστὸν ἐκεῖνον ἄνδρα ὡς ἀνδράποδον Kekaumenos 128.1-5
Teras the Calabrian / Petrus de Turra, defender of Bisignano (Petros 106)
  • Went out of the kastron (of Bisignano) responding to a message from Robert 61 who wished to discuss some important matter with him, and when the latter pretended he was afraid of his escort, he sent them back and remained alone with him in the ditch (:) Kekaumenos 126.22-28
  • Was captured and carried away to slavery while standing with Robert 61 in the ditch (outside Bisignano) by the latter's men (Anonymi 137) who galloped into the ditch as soon as his own escort withdrew, and was subjected to untold torture (:) ἐχειρώσαντο τὸν θαυμαστὸν ἐκεῖνον ἄνδρα ὡς ἀνδράποδον Kekaumenos 128.1-6
Robert Guiscard (Robert 61)
  • Pretended to be afraid of the men accompanying Teras (Petros 106) into the ditch out of Bisignano, and when they withdrew to leave them alone to talk, the 3 men he had ordered to be ready (Anonymi 137) galloped into the ditch and captured Teras (:) Kekaumenos 126.26-128.5
  • Having become a local ruler with the consent of God, he wished to capture Teras (Petros 106) and when all his attempts failed he sent him a message asking him to come out of his city (Bisignano) in order to discuss some important and secret matter (:) κατὰ συγχώρησιν Θεοῦ γεγονὼς τύραννος Kekaumenos 126.19-24