Richard, Count Of Acerra
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Richard, count of Acerra (died 30 November 1196) was an Italo-Norman nobleman, grandson of Robert of Medania, a Frenchman of Anjou. Brother of Sibylla, queen of Tancred of Sicily, Richard was the chief peninsular supporter of his brother-in-law during his claim for the throne in 1189.


Biography

Richard was the co-commander of the army attached to Tancred's fleet in 1185. They captured Durazzo from the
Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...
without a struggle. The city had fully surrendered by June 24. Richard then led his army on a march across the Balkan peninsula and by August 6 he had begun his Siege of Thessalonica. On August 24 Thessalonika fell to Richard's armies in its turn. But Richard was defeated and captured at Battle of Demetritzes. In 1190, Richard was charged with keeping the German supporters of Roger of Andria out of
Apulia Apulia ( ), also known by its Italian language, Italian name Puglia (), is a Regions of Italy, region of Italy, located in the Southern Italy, southern peninsular section of the country, bordering the Adriatic Sea to the east, the Strait of Ot ...
. Richard secured all Apulia and the Terra di Lavoro. Richard then "raised a great army of Romans and men from
Campania Campania is an administrative Regions of Italy, region of Italy located in Southern Italy; most of it is in the south-western portion of the Italian Peninsula (with the Tyrrhenian Sea to its west), but it also includes the small Phlegraean Islan ...
and the '' Regno'' to attack the
Capua Capua ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in the province of Caserta, in the region of Campania, southern Italy, located on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. History Ancient era The name of Capua comes from the Etruscan ''Capeva''. The ...
ns and
Aversa Aversa () is a city and ''comune'' in the Province of Caserta in Campania, southern Italy, about 24 km north of Naples. It is the centre of an agricultural district, the ''Agro Aversano'', producing wine and cheese (famous for the typical dome ...
ns.''Annales Casinenses''
trans. G. A. Loud. He invaded the region of
Monte Cassino The Abbey of Monte Cassino (today usually spelled Montecassino) is a Catholic Church, Catholic, Benedictines, Benedictine monastery on a rocky hill about southeast of Rome, in the Valle Latina, Latin Valley. Located on the site of the ancient ...
, but at that time the German marshal Henry Testa invaded Apulia and joined with Roger of Andria. Richard fortified Ariano against them. They had much success until the German troops left. Richard then invited Roger to a meeting and treacherously imprisoned him and had him executed soon after. Richard finally turned to Capua at that junction and the city fearfully surrendered without a siege. Later, when the Emperor Henry VI, the only remaining claimant against Tancred, invaded the Terra di Lavoro, Richard took refuge in
Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
. From May to August 1191, Henry invested the city with a siege, and Richard was wounded. When Henry was forced by illness to retire north of the
Alps The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia. ...
, Richard left Naples and pounced on Capua, where he massacred the Germans left there under Conrad Muscaincervello. Richard then besieged Roger of Molise in
Venafro Venafro (Latin: ''Venafrum''; Greek: ) is a ''comune'' in the province of Isernia, region of Molise, Italy. It has a population of 11,079, having expanded quickly in the post-war period. Geography Situated at the foot of Mount Santa Croce, elevat ...
, then San Germano (now renamed
Cassino Cassino () is a ''comune'' in the province of Frosinone at the southern end of the region of Lazio. It's the last city of the Valle Latina, Latin Valley. It is located at the foot of Monte Cairo near the confluence of the Gari (river), Gari and ...
), and finally the monastery of Monte Cassino itself. Those cities had surrendered to Henry resubmitted to Tancred, among them the city of
Salerno Salerno (, ; ; ) is an ancient city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Campania, southwestern Italy, and is the capital of the namesake province, being the second largest city in the region by number of inhabitants, after Naples. It is located ...
surrendered Empress Constance, who had been entrusted to them by Henry, to Tancred. By then, Tancred's victory was secure. (Tancred was forced to release Constance in 1192.) When Tancred died in 1194, Henry quickly marched down the peninsula and had himself crowned in
Palermo Palermo ( ; ; , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan province. The ...
. Richard "abandoned Campania and Burgentia, the fortresses which he was
till image:Geschiebemergel.JPG, Closeup of glacial till. Note that the larger grains (pebbles and gravel) in the till are completely surrounded by the matrix of finer material (silt and sand), and this characteristic, known as ''matrix support'', is d ...
holding,"''Ryccardi di Sancto Germano Notarii Chronicon''
trans. G. A. Loud.
and tried to flee. He was betrayed (fittingly) by a monk and turned over to the Diepold von Schweinspeunt, who threw him in prison. When, in 1196, Henry arrived in the south, Richard was turned over to him. As Richard of San Germano writes: Diepold was given the county of Acerra by Henry. It was also said that Henry hanged Richard in revenge of the capture of Constance.


References


Sources


''Annales Casinenses''.
Translated by G. A. Loud. * Norwich, John Julius. ''The Kingdom in the Sun 1130-1194''. Longman:
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, 1970. *Matthew, Donald. ''The Norman Kingdom of Sicily''.
Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press was the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted a letters patent by King Henry VIII in 1534, it was the oldest university press in the world. Cambridge University Press merged with Cambridge Assessme ...
: 1992.
''Ryccardi di Sancto Germano Notarii Chronicon''.
trans. G. A. Loud. {{DEFAULTSORT:Richard, Count Of Acerra Italo-Normans Norman warriors 1196 deaths Counts in Italy Year of birth unknown People from Acerra