William of the Principate
Encyclopedia
William of Hauteville was one of the younger sons of Tancred of Hauteville
by his second wife Fressenda. He is usually called Willermus instead of Wilelmus in Latin
annals and so is often called Guillerm instead of Guillaume in French
. He left Normandy
around 1053 with his elder half-brother Geoffrey
and full brother Mauger
.
He participated in the Battle of Civitate
in the years of his arrival and was received cordially by his half-brother Humphrey
, the reigning count of Apulia.
In 1055, he distinguished himself in the taking of the castle of San Nicandro
, which formed the nucleus of his county of the Principate
, with which he was invested by Humphrey in 1056. In 1058, he married Maria, the daughter of Guy, Duke of Sorrento
and brother of Guaimar IV of Salerno
. He inherited all Guy's lands in the principality of Salerno
and fought with Guaimar's successor, Gisulf II
, whose lands he ate away at until little was left but Salerno itself. He also inherited the Capitanate from Mauger, who died between 1054 and 1060. That last possession he gave to Geoffrey, out of fraternal love, Malaterra informs us.
He invited his landless youngest brother Roger
to join him, promising him half of all he owned, save his wife and children. He aided Roger against their elder brother Robert Guiscard
, who had succeeded Humphrey, and gave him the castle of Scalea
, at Catanzaro. He fought against Robert later when Robert came to the aid of Gisulf in order to receive in marriage Gisulf's sister Sichelgaita. In 1067, the Council of Melfi
excommunicated him, along with Turgis de Rota and Guimond de Moulins, for stealing property from the church of Alfano I, Archbishop of Salerno
. Later that year, he travelled to Salerno to reconcile with Pope Alexander II
.
According to some sources, he died in 1080, though others have him living into the twelfth century (to 1104, 1113, or 1117) and participating in the Guiscard's Byzantine
campaigns and being present at the Battle of Durazzo
, October 1081. He was buried in the church of the Santissima Trinità in Venosa
.
Tancred of Hauteville
Tancred of Hauteville was an 11th-century Norman petty lord about whom little is known. His historical importance comes entirely from the accomplishments of his sons and later descendants...
by his second wife Fressenda. He is usually called Willermus instead of Wilelmus in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
annals and so is often called Guillerm instead of Guillaume in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. He left Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
around 1053 with his elder half-brother Geoffrey
Geoffrey of Hauteville
Geoffrey of Hauteville was a Norman military leader, the second youngest son of Tancred of Hauteville by his first wife Muriella. He joined his brothers in the Mezzogiorno around 1053, arriving with his half-brothers Mauger and William...
and full brother Mauger
Mauger of Hauteville
Mauger of Hauteville was a younger son of Tancred of Hauteville by his second wife, Fressenda...
.
He participated in the Battle of Civitate
Battle of Civitate
The Battle of Civitate was fought on 18 June 1053 in Southern Italy, between the Normans, led by the Count of Apulia Humphrey of Hauteville, and a Swabian-Italian-Lombard army, organised by Pope Leo IX and led on the battlefield by Gerard, Duke of Lorraine, and Rudolf, Prince of Benevento...
in the years of his arrival and was received cordially by his half-brother Humphrey
Humphrey of Hauteville
Humphrey of Hauteville , surnamed Abagelard, was the Count of Apulia and Calabria from 1051 to his death.Humphrey was probably the youngest son of Tancred of Hauteville by his first wife Muriel. Some sources make Geoffrey and Serlo his younger brothers...
, the reigning count of Apulia.
In 1055, he distinguished himself in the taking of the castle of San Nicandro
San Nicandro Garganico
San Nicandro Garganico is a town and comune in the province of Foggia in the Apulia region of southeast Italy....
, which formed the nucleus of his county of the Principate
Principate
The Principate is the first period of the Roman Empire, extending from the beginning of the reign of Caesar Augustus to the Crisis of the Third Century, after which it was replaced with the Dominate. The Principate is characterized by a concerted effort on the part of the Emperors to preserve the...
, with which he was invested by Humphrey in 1056. In 1058, he married Maria, the daughter of Guy, Duke of Sorrento
Guy, Duke of Sorrento
Guy was the duke of Sorrento from 1035, the brother of Guaimar IV of Salerno, father-in-law of William Iron Arm and William of the Principate, and brother-in-law of Humphrey of Hauteville. He was the son of Guaimar III and Gaitelgrima. Guy's place in history is secured primarily through his...
and brother of Guaimar IV of Salerno
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...
. He inherited all Guy's lands in the principality of Salerno
Principality of Salerno
The Lombard Principality of Salerno was a South Italian state, centered on the port city of Salerno, formed in 851 out of the Principality of Benevento after a decade-long civil war....
and fought with Guaimar's successor, Gisulf II
Gisulf II of Salerno
Gisulf II was the last Lombard prince of Salerno ....
, whose lands he ate away at until little was left but Salerno itself. He also inherited the Capitanate from Mauger, who died between 1054 and 1060. That last possession he gave to Geoffrey, out of fraternal love, Malaterra informs us.
He invited his landless youngest brother Roger
Roger I of Sicily
Roger I , called Bosso and the Great Count, was the Norman Count of Sicily from 1071 to 1101. He was the last great leader of the Norman conquest of southern Italy.-Conquest of Calabria and Sicily:...
to join him, promising him half of all he owned, save his wife and children. He aided Roger against their elder brother Robert Guiscard
Robert Guiscard
Robert d'Hauteville, known as Guiscard, Duke of Apulia and Calabria, from Latin Viscardus and Old French Viscart, often rendered the Resourceful, the Cunning, the Wily, the Fox, or the Weasel was a Norman adventurer conspicuous in the conquest of southern Italy and Sicily...
, who had succeeded Humphrey, and gave him the castle of Scalea
Scalea
Scalea is a town and comune in the province of Cosenza in the Calabria region of southern Italy.The town takes its name from its terraced lay-out on the hillside, at the bottom of the Capo Scalea promontory...
, at Catanzaro. He fought against Robert later when Robert came to the aid of Gisulf in order to receive in marriage Gisulf's sister Sichelgaita. In 1067, the Council of Melfi
Melfi
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...
excommunicated him, along with Turgis de Rota and Guimond de Moulins, for stealing property from the church of Alfano I, Archbishop of Salerno
Alfano I, Archbishop of Salerno
Saint Alfanus I or Alfano I was the Archbishop of Salerno from 1058 to his death. He was famed as a translator, writer, theologian, and medical doctor in the eleventh century...
. Later that year, he travelled to Salerno to reconcile with Pope Alexander II
Pope Alexander II
Pope Alexander II , born Anselmo da Baggio, was Pope from 1061 to 1073.He was born in Milan. As bishop of Lucca he had been an energetic coadjutor with Hildebrand of Sovana in endeavouring to suppress simony, and to enforce the celibacy of the clergy...
.
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
campaigns and being present at the Battle of Durazzo
Battle of Dyrrhachium (1081)
The Battle of Dyrrhachium took place on October 18, 1081 between the Byzantine Empire, led by the Emperor Alexius I Comnenus, and the Normans of southern Italy under Robert Guiscard, Duke of Apulia and Calabria...
, October 1081. He was buried in the church of the Santissima Trinità in Venosa
Venosa
Venosa is a town and comune in the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata, in the Vulture area. It is bounded by the comuni of Barile, Ginestra, Lavello, Maschito, Montemilone, Palazzo San Gervasio, Rapolla and Spinazzola....
.
Sources
- Goffredo Malaterra. The Deeds of Count Roger of Calabria and Sicily and of Duke Robert Guiscard his brother.
- Norwich, John JuliusJohn Julius NorwichJohn Julius Cooper, 2nd Viscount Norwich CVO — known as John Julius Norwich — is an English historian, travel writer and television personality.-Early life:...
. The Normans in the South 1016-1130. Longmans: LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 1967. - Ghisalberti, Albert (ed). Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani: II Albicante – Ammannati. RomeRomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, 1960.