Multicultural and Cross-Cultural Aspects of the Normans in Southern Italy, Sicily & North Africa

The Life of Robert Guiscard

Robert de Hauteville, also known as Robert "Guiscard" (meaning "the Cunning" or "the Fox"), was a Norman mercenary who travelled from Normandy to Italy in the 11th century. After being born into a family of Norman knights, Robert and many of his family members (mainly brothers and half-brothers) embarked on a boat to southern Italy and began to serve. Among his brothers included Roger de Hauteville, who would later become the first King of Sicily. Robert arrived in Apulia around 1047 CE and aid his half-brother Drogo in the Lombard's wars against the Greeks in southeastern Italy. Robert and his Normans continued to win battles in the Italian Peninsula, serving different factions as needed and eventually earning himself the county of Melfi in 1059 CE.

However, Robert's control of Melfi was just the beginning. Through military might and political savvy, the realm of Robert Guiscard continued to grow. His employment with the Lombards had turned into wars against them. Eventually, the expansion of the Normans resulted in the Holy Roman Empire, the Pope, and the Byzantine Empire attempted to subdue the Normans through a series of wars. However, Robert won them all, eventually becoming the Duke of Apulia and Calabria in 1057 CE. He continued his campaigns into the island of Sicily, conquering the city of Palermo from the local Berber taifas (princedoms) in the region. In short, Robert's time in Italy was truly profound, turning his Norman brothers-in-arms from mercenaries for local rulers to rulers of Southern Italy and Sicily by the 12th century.

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