Norman Conquest of Southern Italy and Sicily Podcast - Episode 3

Real Crusades History #114. And don't forget the Real Crusades History website!

The rise of Rainulf Dregnot and the County of Aversa In 1027, the ruthless Lombard warlord Pandulf the Wolf of Abruzzi hired the largest Norman band in southern Italy to help him seize Capua, Salerno, and the Duchy of Naples from the Byzantines. But Pandulf didn’t have direct control over his Normans, rather he had to deal with Rainulf Dregnot, elected by his fellow Normans because of his experience and capability. This was another strength of the Normans – the tendency of the best and brightest among them to rise to the top, placed in a commanding position by their fellow Normans because they had earned respect. Thus, as Pandulf became the leading power in southern Italy, Rainulf had considerable leverage, as his Normans were the source of Pandulf’s power; Rainulf used his position to ruthlessly pursue the interests of his men.
Rainulf was a shrewd commander, who took a long-term view of the situation on the Italian peninsula; he began conceiving of the Normans themselves ruling a state, rather than acting merely as the muscle for local princes. When Pandulf began plundering the Abbey of Monte Casino, and drawing the rage of both Pope and Holy Roman Emperor alike, Rainulf decided that it was no longer in Norman interest to endorse him.
It’s not as if Rainulf lacked in opportunities. Pandulf’s greatest rival, Sergius of Naples, wrote to Rainulf, requesting an alliance. Rainulf accepted the offer, and just as quickly as Norman power elevated Pandulf, it tore him from his position, with Sergius rising in his place.
This time Rainulf struck a new sort of deal; Sergius granted Rainulf his own fief: the County of Aversa, located to the north of Naples and near enough to Capua to harass Pandulf’s position.
To solidify his alliance with Rainulf, Sergius granted him the hand of his sister in marriage. Indeed, the Normans had come a long way. Rainulf was a landed nobleman, with marital ties to one of the great local princes. Rainulf used his new position to enrich himself and his Norman companions. Word of Rainulf’s success spread back to Normandy, and hundreds of young Normans set out to seek their fortune in the County of Aversa. Within a few years, the number of knights in Rainulf’s service had multiplied dramatically.
In 1035, two of the young Normans who headed to Italy in search of fortune were a pair of brothers: William and Drogo of Hauteville. These two were the eldest sons of one Tancred of Hautville, a Norman knight of modest background whose grandfather had been one of Rollo’s men. Tancred himself was a rather obscure figure, but his descendants would make his name famous. Tancred’s greatest achievement was the siring of twelve sons (and probably many daughters as well). Amazingly, Tancred managed to train and equip all of his sons as knights. For a man of limited means, this in itself was an incredible feat.
Tancred himself had a small fief that he owed to the Duke of Normandy, but it wasn’t nearly substantial enough to support his large brood. Thus is became family policy that, on maturity, each of his son’s would strike out on his own to seek his fortune and fame for the family name. Indeed, it was a distinguishing feature of the Hautvilles that, despite their extensive travels and experiences, they reserved their sense of loyalty primarily to their own family.
When William and Drogo of Hautville arrived in Italy, they did not take up with Rainulf Dregnot. Rather, they found lucrative employ with Guaimar of Salerno, whom the Holy Roman Emperor raised up as Prince of Capua after deposing Pandulf. With the back of the Holy Roman Emperor, Guiamar quickly became the leading Lombard prince of southern Italy, and would lead the region into a prosperous age. He also confirmed Rainulf as Count of Aversa, making Rainulf a vassal of the Prince of Salerno rather than Naples – a step up in prestige indeed. Everything seemed in place for yet further ascent of the Norman star in southern Italy.