Robert Guiscard E / L XI
Ῥουμπέρδος ὁ Φράγγος (Robert 61)
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Narrative
(108)
1052
Certainty: 2
Robert Guiscard siezed Petros of Bisignano by a trick
Certainty: 2
1057
Certainty: 2
Death of count Humphrey of Apulia; Robert Guiscard took power in his place
Certainty: 2
1058
Certainty: 2
Leon Thrymbos killed the Scribones at Croton
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2
Raids of Robert Guiscard from Salerno into Byzantine territory in Italy
Certainty: 2
1059
Certainty: 2
Robert Guiscard was invested as Duke of Apulia & Calabria
Certainty: 2
1061
Certainty: 2
Robert Guiscard sailed to Sicily
Certainty: 2
1062
Robert Guiscard captured Brindisi
Certainty: 2
1064
Certainty: 2
Robert of Montescagloioso captured Matera
Certainty: 2
1066
Certainty: 2
Revolt of Nikoulitzas Delphinas at Larissa
Certainty: 2
1068
Certainty: 3
Robert Guiscard captured Uggiano & Montepeloso, then began the siege of Bari
Certainty: 3
1070
Certainty: 1
Romanos started negotiations to marry his infant son to one of Robert Guiscard's daughters
Certainty: 1
1071
Certainty: 2
Robert Guiscard captured Brindisi
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2
Norman naval victory hindered final attempt to relieve Bari
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 3
Surrender of Bari to Robert Guiscard
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Robert Guiscard left for Sicily & began the siege of Palermo
Certainty: 3
1072
Certainty: 3
Robert Guiscard captured Palermo
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 2
Michael VII wrote to Robert Guiscard, proposing to marry his brother Konstantios to a daughter of Guiscard
Certainty: 2
1074
Certainty: 3
Proposed marriage of Michael VII's son Konstantinos to Helena, daughter of Robert Guiscard
Certainty: 3
1075
Certainty: 3
Excommunication of Robert Guiscard & Robert of Loritello by Gregory VII
Certainty: 3
1080
Certainty: 3
Investiture of Robert Guiscard by Gregory VII
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Robert Guiscard swore fidelity to the Roman church & Gregory VII
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 2
Appearance in South Italy of false Michael VII, either through his own initiative or that of Guiscard
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 3
Gregory VII supported (the false) Michael VII in a letter to the bishops of Apulia & Calabria
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 2
Robert Guiscard used the false Michael VII as pretext to prepare invasion of Byzantium
Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2
Rudolf of Swabia & Welf of Bavaria, supported by pope Gregory VII, defeated by emperor Henry IV
Certainty: 2
1081
Certainty: 3
Alexios I, virtually without troops or money, faced Turks in the east & Guiscard in the west
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Robert Guiscard left his son Roger in Italy, planning to attack Dyrrachion by sea aided by Bohemond on land
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Despite a destructive storm, Guiscard assembled his forces & threatened Dyrrachion
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Alexios I sought to win allies against Robert Guiscard
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Georgios Palaiologos fortified Dyrrachion, rallied the defenders & reported to Alexios I
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Siege of Dyrrachion began with questions over identity of "Michael VII"
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
The Venetians were paid for aid: they defeated Bohemond & were rewarded
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
News of battles near Dyrrachion: Palaiologos was wounded, war was conducted by towers
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Alexios camped at Dyrrachion, wrote to Guiscard & searched for the right battleground
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Guiscard hinted at peace, if Michael VII was avenged - with details completely unacceptable to Alexios
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Guiscard addressed his counts, allowed them to choose him as leader, & successfully proposed burning their boats
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Alexios planned to attack Guiscard's camp; Guiscard moved his army & drew it up for battle
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
After a closely-fought struggle, the Normans were completely victorious, with heavy Byzantine casualties
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
When all was lost, Alexios made his escape - both heroic & miraculous, as reported to Guiscard
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
After plundering Alexios' camp, Guiscard returned to his own, deciding whether to stay near Dyrrachion or advance further
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 2
Gregory VII wrote to Robert Guiscard, congratulating him but summoning him back
Certainty: 2
1082
Certainty: 3
Inhabitants of Dyrrachion (mainly from Amalfi & Venice) surrendered the city to Guiscard
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Guiscard, hearing of descent by Henry IV, returned to Italy, warning Bohemond to persevere against Alexios
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Bohemond tried to expand his conquests, with mixed success; several counts planned to defect to Alexios
Certainty: 3
1083
Certainty: 3
Alexios planned an ambush which allowed him to devastate Bohemond's camp & defeat half his army
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Bohemond & Guiscard at Salerno discussed collapse of invasion; Guiscard began trying to revive it
Certainty: 3
1084
Certainty: 3
Guiscard sent his sons Guy (whom Alexios had tried to buy) & Roger with his cavalry; they captured Aulona & Butrinto
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Guiscard crossed to join his sons at Butrinto, then took the fleet to put down a rebellion on Kerkyra
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Alexios brought in the Venetians, who were more victorious than not in the fierce naval campaign which followed
Certainty: 3
1085
Certainty: 3
After blockading the straits for the winter, the Venetians, with Maurix & the Byzantine fleet, defeated Guiscard's ships
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Amidst growing resistance, Guiscard was kept in the port of Iericho by bad weather for two months
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Guiscard beached his ships at the Glykys river, & would later need engineering work to refloat them
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
The Normans at the Glykys river began to starve, while horses & men suffered epidemics; losses were very heavy
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Robert Guiscard sent his son Roger to Kephalonia, sailed to join him, but fell ill of a fever & died
Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3
Guiscard was succeeded by Roger, who imposed oaths of allegiance & returned to Apulia to bury his father
Certainty: 3
Unassigned Activities
Death
(1)
Description
(13)
He had risen to power from abject poverty, and like other such people had remained greedy; his ambition grew with success, like gangrene invading a body
ἀπὸ ἐσχάτης πενίας καὶ τύχης ἀφανοῦς. Anna Komnene 122.55-64
He was extremely ingenious and a deep thinker
μηχανικώτατος ὢν καὶ βαθύνους. Anna Komnene 125.75
A cunning man and most warlike
ἀνὴρ πανοῦργός τε καὶ πολεμικώτατος. Zonaras 18.22.1
Was one of the Franks (Normans) who entered the service of
Georgios 62
Maniakes and remained in Italy when the latter rose in rebellion against Monomachos (
Konstantinos 9
)
Ἦν δέ τις ἐν αὐτοῖς Ῥουμπέρτος τοὔνομα. Skylitzes Continuatus 167.13-16
A terrible and hot-tempered man, he had a tyrannical disposition
τυραννικὸν ἔχων τὸ φρόνημα. Skylitzes Continuatus 167.17-18
A barbarian
βάρβαρος. Glykas 620.1
Held sway over Longibardia
τὸν τὴν Λογγιβαρδίαν κατέχοντα Φράγκον. Skylitzes Continuatus 167.4-5
Very brave, noble and experienced in war, of wise intelligence, most peaceful in intention and fortunate and most blessed in rule
ἄνδρα γενναιότατον τε καὶ εὐγενέστατον καὶ τὰ μὲν πολέμια δοκιμώτατον τήν τε διάνοιαν συνετώτατον, τὴν δὲ γνώμην εἰρηνικώτατον, τὴν δὲ ἀρχὴν εὐδαίμονά τε καὶ ὀλβιώτατον. Psellos Robert 6-9
He was peace-loving, profoundly Christian, intelligent, noble and legitimate - traits which attracted
Michael 7
to propose a marriage alliance
Psellos Letters (Sathas) 143-144.385-392
His power and fame grew as the Roman army was busy with civil wars after the death of Monomachos (
Konstantinos 9
), the one-year reign of
Theodora 1
, the accession of
Michael 6
and the rebellion against the latter by Komnenos (
Isaakios 1
)
μέγας ἐκ τούτου καὶ περιβόητος γέγονε. Skylitzes Continuatus 168.4-11
On the same day (as they say), the Byzantine and German emperors saw his victorious standards and were terrified
cujus signa sub uno, ut aiunt, die Graecus Alemannusque imperator tremuerunt victricia. Ralph of Caen 1
[A substantial encomium.] An excellent leader, intelligent, of fine appearance, an amusing speaker with a quick tongue and loud voice, approachable, of tall stature, with hair well cut ...
ἡγεμὼν ἐξαίρετος, ἀγχίνους, εὐπρεπὴς τὴν ὄψιν, ἀστεῖος ἐν λόγοις, ὀξὺς μὲν εἰπεῖν, φωνὴ δ᾽ αὐτοῦ μεγάλη, εὐπρόσιτος, εὐμεγέθης τὸ σῶμα, σύμμετρον τὴν κόμην ἔχων ἀεὶ τῇ κεφαλῇ .... Anna Komnene 183.57-61
[As well as his positive characteristics...] he was miserly, grasping, with a mercenary spirit, a great lover of possessions and above all full of ambition
φειδωλότατος δὲ καὶ φιλοχρυσότατος, ἐμπορικώτατος καὶ φιλοκτεανώτατος καὶ ἐπὶ τούτοις φιλοδοξότατος. Anna Komnene 183.64-67
Dignity/Office
(8)
Ethnic label
(4)
Kinship
(31)
Location
(56)