Battle of Civitate

The Bataille of Civitate is a battle of the Moyen-âge. It took place the June 18th 1053.

The Norman of the counts Onfroi d' Apulie and Richard Ier d' Aversa have there demolishes the forces anti-Normans with Civitate, close to Foggia, directed in particular by the pope Leon IX and the Germanic emperor Henri III the Black. Leon IX was captured and imprisoned.

Normands adventurers are distinguished

In the year 999, forty Norman adventurers , ghost of a pilgrimage carried out in Jerusalem, stopped by chance in the town of Salerno. They had rested already for several weeks when one day they transfer a large fleet of Arab war to wet in the port of the city. The Arabs came to hold to ransom the city. According to their practice, Salernois then started to join together the money of the ransom. Completely nauseated at the same time insolente attitude of the Arabs and cowardice of Salernois which, apparently, did not plan to gain their freedoms by the forces of the weapons, the forty Normands adventurers required of Guaimar IV, prince de Salerne, their to provide weapons and horses to go to fight the rançonneurs Musulmans. Astonished, the Italian prince gave to Norman all what they wanted. At once, the forty Normands knights attacked the Arabs with the improvist. In spite of their very clear numerical inferiority, the Normands riders succeeded in putting in rout the Arabs after having killed several hundreds of them. Whereas certain Moslems fuyèrent towards the sea, others were withdrawn by the hills.

Prince Salernois can thank them skilfully

Dazzled by this incredible victory, the prince Gaimar IV of Salerno covers the Normands winners of many thanks and a great number of gifts. But, especially, he does not want to let pass the occasion to take the Norman ones with his service to defend his city. The Italian prince then proposes to them to remain in Salerno and to engage as mercenaries. In fact, initially, he would like to preserve half immediately and to return the others to Normandy of it to try to recruit in Normandy of new knights who would come in their turns to engage as mercenaries with his service. However, wishing to re-examine their fatherland, the Norman ones refused first of all the offer of Guaimar IV. Disappointment was as large in the Italian prince as among inhabitants of the city who had known, them also, to thank the effectiveness for Norman and which wanted, them also, to have them like guards. The hope of the Italians bore its fruits all the same. In fact, crafty ones, the Norman ones had not remained completely insensitive with the proposals of Gaimar IV of Salerno. The hope to gain many richnesses pushed finally the Norman ones to return a few years later to Salerno to begin as mercenaries. Moreover, they returned with new recruits attracted by the profits of the mercenariat.

Normands mercenaries settle progressively in the south of Italy

Progressively of the years, the history of the mercenariat of Salerno made the turn of all Normandy. Then knowing the possibility of being committed as mercenaries in the south of Italy, several Normands adventurers then did not hesitate to leave their fatherland to join the peninsula Italian. They decided for various reasons. Some, already rich, quite simply sought to grow rich even more. Others, not supporting the policy of the duke of Normandy, sought to flee it to create strongholds other share. Lastly, at the time, the Normandes families included/understood many children and only the groins could inherit paternal grounds. Consequently, ensured not to have any grounds, the sons juniors by these families then did not hesitate to leave for the south Italy with the hope to create richness or grounds. However, it could also arrive the opposite. Assured not to be able to nourish all his family, the father encouraged the oldest son then, most extremely, to leave elsewhere. On average, throughout the 11th century, they will be 300 to 500 Normands soldiers who will come every year in the south from Italy, but some of them will once leave their made richness, whereas others decide to remain.

The history of Salerno having also made its way in the south of Italy, the Lombards of the Apulie, recognizing the value surprising of Norman with the combat, recruited much then of it. In the years 1010 - 1020, the brothers Drengot, Norman originating in the area of Rouen, will come for example to be made recruit as mercenaries by prince Lombard. This prince then started a war against the Byzantine presence in Apulie. Many combat took place, the Normands mercenaries still proved reliable by gaining many combat against the Byzantines. After this adventure, Raynolf Drengot, served several prince Lombards and succeeds, with trick, to acquire a powerful stronghold with Aversa, then becoming Raynolf d' Aversa. The stronghold of Aversa goes in makes play a very powerful part in the immigration of Normands soldiers in Apulie. The Norman ones, accommodated very well in this stronghold, will become much more numerous than at the time of the first wave of arrival. One beautiful day, Raynolf Drengot accommodates brothers Hauteville…

Hauteville begin their exploits

At the time when both arrived Hauteville brother, i.e. towards 1040, the Byzantines assembled a recruitment campaign to carry out a forwarding to reconquer Sicily with the hands of the Moslems. Remembering value of Norman to the combat, the Byzantines recruited 300 of them and made of them a body which was put at the orders of their chief, Lombard Ardouin. Unloaded in Sicily, the Norman ones then joined the other army corps Byzantine and could then realize that they were not the only mercenaries recruited by Byzance. Indeed, the famous guard Varègue was also present, famous alive Swedish in Russia. There were also many other bodies of mercenaries of various nationalities. The countryside of Sicily hardly began that a battle began then with the Arabs, it was the confrontation of Troïna. The mercenaries of Byzance even started to fold seriously. At this point in time Guillaume Hauteville took the head of the 300 Normands mercenaries, made a load, inserted the Arabs and put them in rout. The victory was acquired and the Norman ones had still overcome in numerical inferiority. In the fray, Guillaume Hauteville, having spit the sarazin chief of a vigorous blow of lance, accepted then the nickname of Guillaume " arm of fer". Lastly, as indicates it the chronicle Italian of the time " more been worth the small number of Norman than the multitude of the other mercenaries of Byzance ".

Following this battle, the Byzantines changed behavior and proved particularly execrable with respect to the Norman ones and of Ardouin. The jealousy started to corrode. Initially, Ardouin was struck several whiplashes to have refused to give to the Byzantine chief a superb Arab horse which it had captured on the battle field after having killed an adversary. Lastly, the Byzantines refused to divide the spoils of the victory with the Norman ones whereas the latter had been the principal craftsmen of the victory of Troïna. It was too. Ardouin and the Norman ones decided to return in Apulie and left Sicily then as soon as possible. Curiously, the Byzantines were not long in making some as much…

Hauteville begin the Normande opening in Apulie Italian

Apuliens for some time started to revolt against the Byzantine domination. Eager to be avenged for the Byzantines, Ardouin and the Normands mercenaries benefitted from the occasion to pass to the action. They left to shift with the quite precise objective to drive out the Byzantines of Apulie. During the year 1041, the Normands mercenaries still showed all their value with the combat while gaining, always in numerical inferiority, three quite clear victories over the various Byzantine armies. A victory was gained with Assembles-Magiorre, another with and finally in Venosa. The Byzantines tried a new effort but which did not give any positive test. Ardouin and the Norman ones were then main of a great number of cities in Apulie Italian.

The Norman ones take in hand their Italian destiny

During the year 1042, Lombard Ardouin disappeared without it being known why. In this Italian prince, the Norman ones lost their most faithful chief and their only true friend. Indeed, when the Norman ones took some time after other Lombards chiefs, the latter ended all up betraying one day or the other. It would seem that it is at this time there that the Norman ones, exceeded, decided to take in hand their Italian destiny by appointing a Normand chief. A vote take place and the Norman ones were chosen then for chief Guillaume Hauteville, said " arm of fer". In 1043, Guillaume decided that all the cities conquered by the Norman ones during the victorious countryside of 1041 were to be divided between its more honest knights. It was the division of Melfi. Hugues Tuboeuf, Norman who had been distinguished while striking a Byzantine horse from a masterly punch, appeared among the receivers of strongholds. Raynolf Drengot also accepted an additional stronghold, that in thanks of the reception which it had offered to the two Hauteville brothers on their arrival in Italy. The Norman ones were then with the head of a vast duchy.

A Européenne coalition is formed against these Norman too awkward

The years pass. Guillaume Hauteville died out of disease in 1046. His/her Dreux brother has then took his succession to finish assassinated loosely in full prayer in 1051. It is then the third brother, Onfroy Hauteville, which took the head of the Normand duchy of Apulie. Its reign will not be long in being animated. The Byzantines remake speech of them and have just unloaded new troops in Italy to stop the conquests that the Norman ones do not stop realizing since step badly time in Apulie but also henceforth in Calabria. The Norman ones of Onfroy act with promptness and inflict three successive defeats with the Byzantines ordered by certain Argyros. Despaired to be able to only overcome the Norman ones, Argyros turns then to the Pope to require a military aid of him. Anxious on the conquests carried out by the Norman ones in Apulie and Calabria for several years, the Pope has decided himself to act and succeeds in creating a great military coalition anti-Norman. The objective is simple: to exterminate the Norman ones and their to take again in integrality their Italian strongholds. The Pope succeeds in joining together very an international large army including/understanding of the troops Italians, Byzantines and even a German quota of quality given by the Germanic Emperor itself. On its side, Argyros also succeeds in raising a new rather important Byzantine army. The anti-Norman plan is set up: while the Byzantines of Argyros attack the Norman ones by the south, the troops of the Pope will do it by north. It is thus a catch tortures some which prepares.

Civitate, June 18th, 1053: Victory of the knighthood Norman

Extremely of a network of spies very at the point, Onfroy is not long in being informed that he is threatened at the same time by the south and north. The Byzantine army of being Argyros nearest, Onfroy intelligently decides to attack it in first, to demolish it entirely for then being turned over quietly against the forces of the Pope. The strategic operation functions. Norman, the still lower of number, however succeed in putting new once diverts of them the Byzantines of Argyros for finally wedging them in Bari. Winner of the first sleeve, Onfroy is turned over then towards the Pope. Learning that the plan of crushing has just failed following the defeat of Agyros, the Pope then decides to stop the walk of his troops and prepares with the battle by installing his soldiers on good positions, close to Civitate. The Norman ones there arrive and, before beginning the hostilities, go down from their horses to request. This have of which to make laugh the German knights who, moreover, made fun of the small size of the Norman ones. The battle begins. The Normands knights attack first of all the troops Italians and crush very quickly them. The Byzantine quota tries in its turn to resist but the Norman ones put it in its turn in full rout. Nothing seems to resist for the moment the Normande cavalry. However, the things will harden. The German quota was composed of 700 German knights originating in Souabe, the latter fought with foot, controlled very well the combat with the long sword and was of an exemplary courage. The Germans fought rather well to resist some time the attacks of the Norman ones. However, redoubling efforts and skilfully using the sword and the lance, the Normands knights finally succeeded in cutting in part the German knights who, bravely, were made kill until the last. In the fray, a large Normand knight was made distinguish among the others, it was Robert Hauteville, known as " guiscard". It was in fact the half-brother of Onfroy. Combatant with horse, Robert made the perforated bloody ones in the German rows, their making " to jump heads, arm, jambes". The destroyed German quota, the victory was acquired for the Norman ones. Once again, the Norman ones had carried it in numerical inferiority. Civitate was the victory of the knighthood Normande, the first then in occident and from which the ability to be operated will become legendary on all the battle fields of Europe.

Victorious, the Norman ones capture the Pope

His crushed troops, the Pope was captured by the Norman ones who took it along in captivity during several months to Benevento. Obviously, this news was not long in shocking all Europe. However, nothing any more was tried against the Norman ones which could keep their prisoner as much as they wanted it. Finally, after having recognized the possessions Normans in Apulie and Calabria, the Pope was released and went back to Rome to die there a few months later, surely sorrow.

References

Pierre Paddle, Roger II of Sicily , Payot, 2001.
Jean Deuve, the epopee of Norman of Italy .
Jean-Marie Martin, Italies Normans .

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