Geoffrey, Godfrey, or Goffredo (died 1068x1072), called Lofredus in

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

, was an

Italo-Norman The Italo-Normans ( it, Italo-Normanni), or Siculo-Normans (''Siculo-Normanni'') when referring to Sicily and Southern Italy, are the Italian-born descendants of the first Norman conquerors to travel to southern Italy in the first half of the ...

military leader and the first Count of Taranto. He was the second son of

Peter I of Trani Peter I (born before 1020), also known as Petronius (french: Pierron and it, Petrone or ), was the first Norman count of Trani. He was one of the most prominent of the twelve leaders of the Norman mercenaries serving Guaimar IV of Salerno. Thoug ...

, though of his elder brother, Amicus, nothing is known. He succeeded his father in the territory of

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 was in control of it in 1064, though the city itself remained with 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 ...

. His younger brother, Peter II, took the city from the Byzantines in 1054 and, taking advantage of Geoffrey's absence, took control of the patrimony. Geoffrey married a daughter of Drogo, lord of

Mottola Mottola ( nap, label= Mottolese, Mòtele, ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Taranto and region of Apulia in southeast Italy. It stands on a hill above mean sea level in the sub-region of Murgia. It is also called "The Ionian Spy" ...

and

Castellaneta Castellaneta (Tarantino: ) is a city and ''comune'' in the province of Taranto in the Apulia region of Southern Italy, about from Taranto. Located in a territory spanning from the Murgia to the Ionian Sea, characterized by numerous ''gravina'' ...

. When Count Drogo of Apulia was assassinated in 1051, Geoffrey was put in charge of his young son,

Richard Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Frankish language, Old Frankish and is a Compound (linguistics), compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language, Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' an ...

. Geoffrey founded, probably on the site of an existing hermitage, the monastery of Santa Maria di Colonna, populating it with Cassinese monks and building it a defensive tower that still stands. In May 1063 Geoffrey conquered

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 ...

, which he eventually made his chief city. He took the title ''

comes ''Comes'' ( ), plural ''comites'' ( ), was a Roman title or office, and the origin Latin form of the medieval and modern title "count". Before becoming a word for various types of title or office, the word originally meant "companion", either i ...

'' (Greek ''κόμης''), as recorded in

Lupus Protospatharius Lupus Protospatharius Barensis was the reputed author of the ''Chronicon rerum in regno Neapolitano gestarum'' (also called ''Annales Lupi Protospatharii''), a concise history of the Mezzogiorno from 805 to 1102. He has only been named as the auth ...

(LIX.34, 38–9) and the ''

Strategikon of Kekaumenos The ''Strategikon of Kekaumenos'' ( el, Στρατηγικὸν τοῦ Κεκαυμένου, la, Cecaumeni Strategicon) is a late 11th century Byzantine manual offering advice on warfare and the handling of public and domestic affairs. The bo ...

'' (116.3). In 1064, according to the ''

Anonymus Barensis ''Anonymi Barensis Chronicon'' is a medieval Italian annalistic chronicle. Composed in Latin by an anonymous author from Bari in the first quarter of the 12th century, it covers the years 855–1118, concentrating first and foremost on the event ...

'' (§152), he took

Otranto Otranto (, , ; scn, label= Salentino, Oṭṛàntu; el, label=Griko, Δερεντό, Derentò; grc, Ὑδροῦς, translit=Hudroûs; la, Hydruntum) is a coastal town, port and ''comune'' in the province of Lecce (Apulia, Italy), in a fertil ...

(''Idrontum'') through a ruse after several failed attempts to take it by force. The city was being defended by Malapetzes (Malapezza) with an army of

Varangians The Varangians (; non, Væringjar; gkm, Βάραγγοι, ''Várangoi'';Varangian
" Online Etymo ...

and Rus'. His niece lived in an old house against the city walls. Geoffrey got in contact with this niece, sent her gifts, and promised to marry her if she allowed his Normans to enter the city through her house. Using ropes during the night, she helped the enemy troops in. On finding the city lost, Malapetzes fled by sea, leaving behind his wife and children. In 1066 Geoffrey made the first Norman attempt on the

Balkans The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...

(''Romania''). Assembling a large army for the task he was met near

Bari Bari ( , ; nap, label= Barese, Bare ; lat, Barium) is the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, southern Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy a ...

and stopped by Michael Maurikas, who had come by ship with a Varangian army (Wolff, 19–20). On account of the rivalry between Peter II and

Robert Guiscard Robert Guiscard (; Modern ; – 17 July 1085) was a Norman adventurer remembered for the conquest of southern Italy and Sicily. Robert was born into the Hauteville family in Normandy, went on to become count and then duke of Apulia and Calabri ...

, Geoffrey returned to Trani and took charge of it. He died there not long after, probably in 1068. He left a son,

, as his heir, but Peter quickly dispossessed him of Trani, leaving him only

Andria Andria (; Barese: ) is a city and ''comune'' in Apulia ( southern Italy). It is an agricultural and service center, producing wine, olives and almonds. It is the fourth-largest municipality in the Apulia region (behind Bari, Taranto, and Fogg ...

. In

Amatus of Montecassino Amatus of Montecassino ( la, Amatus Casinensis), (11th century) was a Benedictine monk of the Abbey of Montecassino who is best known for his historical chronicles of his era. His ''History of the Normans'' (which has survived only in its medieva ...

there is a reference to Peter II's brother ''Falgutce'', but this must be a copyist's error, as no such brother is otherwise known and the event with which he is associated occurred after Geoffrey's death.

References

*Robert Lee Wolff. 1948. "Romania: The Latin Empire of Constantinople." '' Speculum'', 23(1):1–34.

External links

*
I Conti di Trani

Prosopography of the Byzantine World
{{DEFAULTSORT:Geoffrey of Taranto Italo-Normans Norman warriors 11th-century deaths Year of birth unknown Year of death uncertain