Catépanat of Italy

The catépanat of Italy (or catépanat of Bari or catépanat of Pouilles ) was, with the Middle Ages, the last dependence of the Byzantine Empire in southernmost Italy.

In 898, the Byzantines overcame and drove out the sarrazins of the Southern Italy. It were established again with Bari, which had been the seat of the exarque last of Ravenne. It directed there the topic of Lombardy under the authority of a plenipotentiary officer called “Patrice” then “catépan”. The catépanat included/understood mainly territories of Southern Italy located at the south of a line connecting Monte Gargano to bay of Salerno. Amalfi and Naples, although located at the edge of this line, maintained their tender in Constantinople within the framework of the catépanat.

In 1017, some Norman adventurers, at the time of a pilgrimage with Assembles Sant' Angelo sul Gargano or was honoured holy Michel, lent hand-strong to the cities lombardes Apulie fights about it against the Byzantines. Until 1030, they behaved into simple mercenaries, lending their arms and their swords to highest offerer, either Lombards, or Byzantines. But in the year 1030, Serge of Naples granted a first field to them by allotting to their chief Rainulf the fortress of Aversa. The Norman ones began a systematic policy of conquest then.

This same year arrived from Normandy Guillaume, known as “Arm wrestling” and Drogon of Hauteville, the two oldest sons of a small landed proprietor of the Cotentin, Tancrède de Hauteville. Both frêres united with the attack organized to release Apulie of the Byzantine domination. In 1040, the Greeks avaint lost almost the totality of the province. Bari was removed in April 1071, then the Byzantines were completely driven out of Italy.

It was the final end of their presence in this part of their old empire. As for Norman, it was the beginning of a durable domination which was going to know its apogee with the foundation of the Royaume of Sicily.

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