Robert Guiscard, after the death of his first wife, had just married a second, who owned land at Salerno. From there he he raided Roman provinces, subjugated Calabria and captured Italy. He gathered a considerable army and collected horses, money and supplies, unopposed by the commanders of Isaakios I's cities because of their lack of troops and Isaakios' cowardice. Prisoners he did not sell as slaves he mutilated terribly