County of Apulia
Encyclopedia
The County of Apulia was a Norman country founded by William
the Hauteville,that existed for sixteen years, from 1043 to 1059 in the territories of Gargano
, Capitanata, Apulia
, Campania
and Vulture
.
, was recognized from all the Normans as supreme leader. He turns to Guaimar IV
, Lombard prince of Salerno and Rainulf Drengot
, Count of Aversa, and offers both an alliance. With the unification of the two Norman family, Altavilla and Drengot, Guaimar offers official recognition of the conquests and at the end of the year, an assembly of Lombards and Normans barons at Melfi meets with Rainulf and William, which ends at the beginning of the following year (1043). In this meeting Guaimar V of Salerno ensure the Hauteville dominance over Melfi. Iron Arm form the second core of his possessions and differentiate himself from Rainulf I of Aversa, head of the territories of Campania. All the barons present offer a tribute as a vassal to Guaimar, which recognizes William I of Hauteville the first title of Count of Apulia. To tie it to himself, offers to marry her niece Guide, daughter of the duke Guy of Sorrento. Guaimar reconfirms the title of count to Rainulf as well. is then born the County of Puglia.
William states that the first capital of the county (and home of the Crown) would be Melfi, a city that woul remains outside the partition. It will remain Capital for forty years prior to Salerno: the center of the city was divided into twelve districts, each of them with a palace and a count with control over that area of town.
William Iron Arm
William Iron Arm was a Norman adventurer, founder of the fortunes of the Hauteville family. One of twelve sons of Tancred of Hauteville, he journeyed to the Mezzogiorno with his younger brother Drogo in the first half of the eleventh century , in response to requests for help made by fellow...
the Hauteville,that existed for sixteen years, from 1043 to 1059 in the territories of Gargano
Gargano
Gargano is a historical and geographical Italian sub-region situated in Apulia, consisting of a wide isolated mountain massif made of highland and several peaks and forming the backbone of the Gargano Promontory projecting into the Adriatic Sea. The high point is Monte Calvo at . Most of the upland...
, Capitanata, Apulia
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
, Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
and Vulture
Vulture area
The Vulture is a geographical and historical subregion of Italy that lies in the Province of Potenza, Basilicata region.-Overview:...
.
Creation
William I of Hauteville, who returned in September 1042 in MelfiMelfi
Melfi is a town and comune in the Vulture area of the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata.-Geography:On a hill at the foot of Mount Vulture, Melfi is the most important town in Basilicata's Vulture, both as a tourist resort and economic centre.-Early history:Inhabited...
, was recognized from all the Normans as supreme leader. He turns to Guaimar IV
Guaimar IV of Salerno
Guaimar IV was Prince of Salerno , Duke of Amalfi , Duke of Gaeta , and Prince of Capua in Southern Italy over the period from 1027 to 1052. He was an important figure in the final phase of Byzantine authority in the Mezzogiorno and the commencement of Norman power...
, Lombard prince of Salerno and Rainulf Drengot
Rainulf Drengot
Rainulf Drengot was a Norman adventurer and the first count of Aversa .When one of Rainulf's numerous brothers, Osmond, was exiled by Richard I of Normandy for the murder of one of his kin, Rainulf, Osmond, and their brothers Gilbert Buatère, Asclettin , and Raulf went on a pilgrimage to the...
, Count of Aversa, and offers both an alliance. With the unification of the two Norman family, Altavilla and Drengot, Guaimar offers official recognition of the conquests and at the end of the year, an assembly of Lombards and Normans barons at Melfi meets with Rainulf and William, which ends at the beginning of the following year (1043). In this meeting Guaimar V of Salerno ensure the Hauteville dominance over Melfi. Iron Arm form the second core of his possessions and differentiate himself from Rainulf I of Aversa, head of the territories of Campania. All the barons present offer a tribute as a vassal to Guaimar, which recognizes William I of Hauteville the first title of Count of Apulia. To tie it to himself, offers to marry her niece Guide, daughter of the duke Guy of Sorrento. Guaimar reconfirms the title of count to Rainulf as well. is then born the County of Puglia.
William states that the first capital of the county (and home of the Crown) would be Melfi, a city that woul remains outside the partition. It will remain Capital for forty years prior to Salerno: the center of the city was divided into twelve districts, each of them with a palace and a count with control over that area of town.