William I of Hauteville (before 1010 – 1046), known as William Iron Arm,
[Guillaume Bras-de-fer in French, Guglielmo Braccio di Ferro in ]Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
and Gugghiermu Vrazzu di Ferru in Sicilian. was a
Norman
Norman or Normans may refer to:
Ethnic and cultural identity
* The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries
** People or things connected with the Norm ...
adventurer who was the founder of the fortunes of the
Hauteville family
The Hauteville ( it, Altavilla) was a Norman family originally of seigneurial rank from the Cotentin. The Hautevilles rose to prominence through their part in the Norman conquest of southern Italy. By 1130, one of their members, Roger II, was mad ...
. One of twelve sons of
Tancred of Hauteville
Tancred of Hauteville (c. 980 – 1041) was an 11th-century Norman petty lord about whom little is known. He was a minor noble near Coutances in the Cotentin. Tancred is also known by the achievements of his twelve sons.
Various legends arose ...
, he journeyed to the
Mezzogiorno
Southern Italy ( it, Sud Italia or ) also known as ''Meridione'' or ''Mezzogiorno'' (), is a macroregion A macroregion is a geopolitical subdivision that encompasses several traditionally or politically defined regions or countries. The meaning ...
with his younger brother
Drogo in the first half of the eleventh century (c.1035), in response to requests for help made by fellow Normans under
Rainulf Drengot Rainulf Drengot (also Ranulph, Ranulf, or Rannulf; died June 1045) was a Norman adventurer and mercenary in southern Italy. In 1030 he became the first count of Aversa. He was a member of the Drengot family.
Early life and arrival in Italy
When Ra ...
,
count of Aversa
In 1030, the first Norman foothold in the Mezzogiorno was created when Sergius IV of Naples gave the town and vicinity of Aversa as a county to Ranulf. The following are the counts of Aversa:
*Rainulf I 1030–1045
*Asclettin 1045 (nephew of prec ...
.
Between 1038 and 1040, he and other Normans fought in
Sicily
(man) it, Siciliana (woman)
, population_note =
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, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 = Ethnicity
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographi ...
along with the
Lombards
The Lombards () or Langobards ( la, Langobardi) were a Germanic people who ruled most of the Italian Peninsula from 568 to 774.
The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the ''History of the Lombards'' (written between 787 and ...
as mercenaries for the
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
against the
Kalbids
The Kalbids () were a Muslim Arab dynasty in the Emirate of Sicily, which ruled from 948 to 1053. They were formally appointed by the Fatimids, but gained, progressively, ''de facto'' autonomous rule.
History
In 827, in the midst of internal ...
. It was there that he won his nickname "Iron Arm" by single-handedly killing the
emir
Emir (; ar, أمير ' ), sometimes transliterated amir, amier, or ameer, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or cerem ...
of
Syracuse
Syracuse may refer to:
Places Italy
*Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa''
*Province of Syracuse
United States
*Syracuse, New York
**East Syracuse, New York
**North Syracuse, New York
*Syracuse, Indiana
* Syracuse, Kansas
*Syracuse, Miss ...
during a sally at the siege of Syracuse. When the
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
general
George Maniakes
George Maniakes (, transliterated as Georgios Maniaces, Maniakis, or Maniaches, , ; died 1043) was a prominent general of the Byzantine Empire of Byzantine Greek origin
during the 1 ...
publicly humiliated the Salernitan leader,
Arduin
''Arduin'' is a fictional universe and fantasy role-playing system created in the mid-1970s by David A. Hargrave. It was the first published "cross-genre" fantasy RPG, with everything from interstellar wars to horror and historical drama, altho ...
, the Lombards withdrew from the campaign, along with the Normans and the
Varangian Guard
The Varangian Guard ( el, Τάγμα τῶν Βαράγγων, ''Tágma tōn Varángōn'') was an elite unit of the Byzantine Army from the tenth to the fourteenth century who served as personal bodyguards to the Byzantine emperors. The Varangi ...
contingent. After Maniakes was recalled to
Constantinople
la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه
, alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...
, the new
catapan of Italy
The Catepanate (or Catapanate) of Italy ( el, ''Katepaníkion Italías'') was a Theme (Byzantine district), province of the Byzantine Empire from 965 until 1071. At its greatest extent, it comprised mainland Italy south of a line drawn from Mon ...
,
Michael Doukeianos
Michael Dokeianos ( el, Μιχαήλ Δοκειανός), erroneously called Doukeianos by some modern writers, was a Byzantine nobleman and military leader, who married into the Komnenos family. He was active in Sicily under George Maniakes befo ...
, appointed Arduin the ruler of
Melfi
Melfi (Neapolitan language, Lucano: ) is a town and ''comune'' in the Vulture area of the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata. Geographically, it is midway between Naples and Bari. In 2015 it had a population of 17,7 ...
. Melfi, however, soon joined other
Apulia
it, Pugliese
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 =
, demographics1_footnotes =
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n Lombards in a revolt against Byzantine rule, in which they were supported by William and the Normans. The Byzantines, however, managed to buy off the nominal leaders of the revolt – first
Atenulf, brother of Pandulf III of Benevento Atenulf was the son of Prince Landulf V of Benevento
Landulf V (died September 1033) was the prince of Benevento from May 987, when he was first associated with his father Pandulf II, to his death. He was chief prince from his father's death in 1 ...
, and then
Argyrus. In September 1042, the Normans elected their own leader, ignoring Arduin. The revolt, originally Lombard, had become Norman in character and leadership.
William was elected by the Normans as their count after the defection of Argyrus. He and the other leaders, chief among them Drogo and
Peter
Peter may refer to:
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* List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
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** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church
* Peter (surname), a sur ...
, petitioned
Guaimar IV,
Prince of Salerno
This page is a list of the rulers of the Principality of Salerno.
When Prince Sicard of Benevento was assassinated by Radelchis in 839, the people of Salerno promptly proclaimed his brother, Siconulf, prince. War raged between Radelchis and Sico ...
, for recognition of their conquests. They received the lands around Melfi as a
fief
A fief (; la, feudum) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an Lord, overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a for ...
and proclaimed Guaimar "
Duke of Apulia and Calabria
The County of Apulia and Calabria (), later the Duchy of Apulia and Calabria (), was a Norman people, Norman state founded by William Iron Arm, William of Hauteville in 1042 in the territories of Gargano, Province of Foggia, Capitanata, Apulia, V ...
". At Melfi in 1043, Guaimar divided the region (except for Melfi itself) into twelve
baronies Barony may refer to:
* Barony, the peerage, office of, or territory held by a baron
* Barony, the title and land held in fealty by a feudal baron
* Barony (county division), a type of administrative or geographical division in parts of the British ...
for the benefit of the Norman leaders:
Asclettin Asclettin (from Old Norse
Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and ...
received
Acerenza
Acerenza ( Lucano: ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata.
History
With its strategic position above sea-level, Acerenza has been sacked by a series of invaders.
The town, then kno ...
,
Tristan
Tristan (Latin/ Brythonic: ''Drustanus''; cy, Trystan), also known as Tristram or Tristain and similar names, is the hero of the legend of Tristan and Iseult. In the legend, he is tasked with escorting the Irish princess Iseult to wed ...
received
Montepeloso
Irsina, until 1895 called Montepeloso (in local dialect: or ), is a town, ''comune'' (municipality) and former Latin bishopric in the province of Matera, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata.
The town
Irsina is an agricultural town pe ...
,
Hugh Tubœuf received
Monopoli
Monopoli (; Monopolitano: ) is a town and municipality in Italy, in the Metropolitan City of Bari and region of Apulia. The town is roughly in area and lies on the Adriatic Sea about southeast of Bari. It has a population of 49,246 ...
, Peter received
Trani
Trani () is a seaport of Apulia, in southern Italy, on the Adriatic Sea, by railway west-northwest of Bari. It is one of the capital cities of the Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani.
History
Overview
The city of ''Turenum'' appears for the fir ...
, and Drogo received
Venosa
Venosa ( Lucano: ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Potenza, in the southern Italian region of Basilicata, in the Vulture area. It is bounded by the comuni of Barile, Ginestra, Lavello, Maschito, Montemilone, Palazzo San Gervasio, ...
. William himself, predominant among the Norman leaders, received the lordship of
Ascoli Ascoli may refer to:
Places in Italy
*Ascoli Satriano, a town and ''comune'' in the province of Foggia in the Apulia region
*Province of Ascoli Piceno, a province of the Marche region
**Ascoli Piceno, a city which is the seat of the province above
...
. He was married to Guida, daughter of
Guy, duke of
Sorrento
Sorrento (, ; nap, Surriento ; la, Surrentum) is a town overlooking the Bay of Naples in Southern Italy. A popular tourist destination, Sorrento is located on the Sorrentine Peninsula at the south-eastern terminus of the Circumvesuviana rail ...
, and niece of Guaimar.
![Tomba degli Altavilla](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Tomba_degli_Altavilla.jpg)
During his reign, William and Guaimar began the conquest of
Calabria
, population_note =
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in 1044 and built the great castle of Stridula, probably near
Squillace
Squillace ( grc, Σκυλλήτιον ''Skylletion''; grc-x-medieval, Σκυλάκιον ''Skylakion'') is an ancient town and ''comune'', in the Province of Catanzaro, part of Calabria, southern Italy, facing the Gulf of Squillace.
Squillace ...
. In 1045, he was defeated near
Taranto
Taranto (, also ; ; nap, label= Tarantino, Tarde; Latin: Tarentum; Old Italian: ''Tarento''; Ancient Greek: Τάρᾱς) is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto, serving as an important com ...
by Argyrus. He died in early 1046 and was succeeded by his brother Drogo.
His titles were never confirmed by the
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor, originally and officially the Emperor of the Romans ( la, Imperator Romanorum, german: Kaiser der Römer) during the Middle Ages, and also known as the Roman-German Emperor since the early modern period ( la, Imperat ...
. Drogo would be legally called "Count of the Normans in all Apulia and Calabria" (''Comes Normannorum totius Apuliae e Calabriae''), and so William is usually titled likewise.
References
*Ghisalberti, Albert (ed). ''Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani: II Albicante – Ammannati''.
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
, 1960.
*
Gwatkin, H.M.,
Whitney, J.P. (ed) et al. ''The Cambridge Medieval History: Volume III''.
Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press is the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII of England, King Henry VIII in 1534, it is the oldest university press
A university press is an academic publishing hou ...
, 1926.
*
Norwich, John Julius. ''The Normans in the South 1016–1130''.
Longmans
Longman, also known as Pearson Longman, is a publishing company founded in London, England, in 1724 and is owned by Pearson PLC.
Since 1968, Longman has been used primarily as an imprint by Pearson's Schools business. The Longman brand is also ...
:
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, 1967.
*
Chalandon, Ferdinand. ''Histoire de la domination normande en Italie et en Sicilie''.
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, 1907.
*Gravett, Christopher, and Nicolle, David. ''The Normans: Warrior Knights and their Castles''.
Osprey Publishing
Osprey Publishing is a British, Oxford-based, publishing company specializing in military history. Predominantly an illustrated publisher, many of their books contain full-colour artwork plates, maps and photographs, and the company produces ov ...
:
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
, 2006.
*Beech, George. ''A Norman-Italian Adventurer in the East: Richard of Salerno''. 1993.
Notes
External links
History of the Norman WorldNorman Centuries – A Norman History Podcast by Lars Brownworth
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hauteville, William I of
11th-century Normans
Norman mercenaries
Norman warriors
1046 deaths
Counts of Apulia and Calabria
Year of birth uncertain
Hauteville family
Burials at the Abbey of Santissima Trinità, Venosa