Gilbert, Count of Gravina
Encyclopedia
Gilbert was a Norman
Count of Gravina from 1159.
He was a cousin of Margaret of Navarre, the queen of Sicily. He arrived in Sicily sometime around 1159 and, through Margaret's influence, was created Count
of Gravina in Apulia
immediately.
Late in that same year, Gilbert joined a conspiracy of nobles, including Richard of Aquila, Roger of Acerra, and Bohemond of Tarsia, Count of Manoppello
. The conspiracy was of only minor lords, but it gained traction. The aim of the conspirators was to assassinate Maio of Bari
and in this they succeeded on 10 November 1160. The rebellion which followed was short-lived in Sicily, and Gilbert was one of the barons restored to favour, along with Bohemond.
However, on the peninsula, the rebels, led by Andrew of Rupecanina
, Robert of Loritello
and Tancred of Lecce, marched on Butera
and burned it. King William
himself entered the field against Tancred, his nephew, while Gilbert held the Campania
for him.
Gilbert took advantage of the death of William in 1166 to pressure his cousin, the regent, into giving him a high position at court. Gilbert became the personal enemy of Margaret's chief minister, the caïd Peter, and plotted his downfall and death. Peter fled Sicily and reconverted to Islam. However, Margaret still ignored her cousin and appointed one Richard of Mandra
, who had saved her late husband's life, count of Molise
and chancellor
. Gilbert promptly turned on him and the two met for a duel, but were separated before combat could begin. At that point, to rid Palermo of him, Margaret sent Gilbert to the peninsula as catepan of Apulia and Campania to prepare for a possible invasion of Frederick Barbarossa.
The year 1166 also saw the arrival of Rodrigo
, Margaret's brother and Gilbert's cousin, from Navarre
. Rodrigo was sent to Apulia with the name Henry and the title Count of Montescaglioso
and there he staid briefly with Gilbert.
In 1167, Barbarossa finally sent an army into the Campania. This army first established the Antipope Paschal III
at Viterbo
to prevent Pope Victor IV from reaching Rome
. Gilbert defeated the invasive imperial forces and sent them back into Tuscany
. Barbarossa himself besieged Ancona
, but the appearance of Gilbert's army south along the Adriatic coast forced him to abandons the siege.
Later in that year, another cousin of Gilbert's, Stephen du Perche
, chancellor and archbishop of Palermo, who had visited Gravina a year earlier, secretly sent for Gilbert's army to support him at Messina. Stephen's life was in danger. At a council in Messina, Henry of Montescaglioso was accused by Gilbert of conspiring against their cousin the chancellor. Evidence of a confession was duly provided and the Navarrese count was imprisoned in Reggio Calabria
. Gilbert, now high in favour, successfully got the count of Molise, an old adversary, arrested as well. Gilbert left with his army; but Messina was in an uproar.
Messina revolted and freed the imprisoned Count Henry. The insurrection spread and the people of Palermo forced the removal of Stephen du Perche. This accomplished, an interim council was set up to assist the regent. The council exiled Gilbert and he joined Stephen on crusade, taking his wife and son, Bertrand of Andria, with him.
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
Count of Gravina from 1159.
He was a cousin of Margaret of Navarre, the queen of Sicily. He arrived in Sicily sometime around 1159 and, through Margaret's influence, was created Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
of Gravina in Apulia
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
immediately.
Late in that same year, Gilbert joined a conspiracy of nobles, including Richard of Aquila, Roger of Acerra, and Bohemond of Tarsia, Count of Manoppello
Manoppello
Manoppello is a comune in Abruzzo, in the province of Pescara, Italy.It is famous for having a church which contains an image which has been suggested to be the Veil of Veronica.Also notable is the Romanesque abbey of Santa Maria Arabona....
. The conspiracy was of only minor lords, but it gained traction. The aim of the conspirators was to assassinate Maio of Bari
Maio of Bari
Maio of Bari , a Lombard merchant's son from Bari, was the third of the great admirals of Sicily. An ammiratus ammiratorum, or "Emir of Emirs," he was the most important man in the kingdom save the king himself. After the deposition and execution of Philip of Mahdia , the admiralcy was vacant for...
and in this they succeeded on 10 November 1160. The rebellion which followed was short-lived in Sicily, and Gilbert was one of the barons restored to favour, along with Bohemond.
However, on the peninsula, the rebels, led by Andrew of Rupecanina
Andrew of Rupecanina
Andrew , count of Rupecanina, was a Norman nobleman of the Mezzogiorno. He was a longtime adversary of the royal power.On 22 July 1138, Pope Innocent II and his supporters, Robert II of Capua and Richard of Rupecanina, were ambushed at Galluccio. Innocent was captured, but Robert and Richard...
, Robert of Loritello
Robert III of Loritello
Robert II of Bassunvilla was the count of Conversano and Loritello . His family had a long history in Vassonville, near Dieppe....
and Tancred of Lecce, marched on Butera
Butera
Butera is an Italian town and comune in the province of Caltanissetta, in the southwestern part of the island of Sicily. It is bounded by the comuni of Gela, Licata, Mazzarino, Ravanusa and Riesi. It has population of 5,063 and is far from Caltanissetta, the province's capital....
and burned it. King William
William I of Sicily
William I , called the Bad or the Wicked, was the second king of Sicily, ruling from his father's death in 1154 to his own...
himself entered the field against Tancred, his nephew, while Gilbert held the Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
for him.
Gilbert took advantage of the death of William in 1166 to pressure his cousin, the regent, into giving him a high position at court. Gilbert became the personal enemy of Margaret's chief minister, the caïd Peter, and plotted his downfall and death. Peter fled Sicily and reconverted to Islam. However, Margaret still ignored her cousin and appointed one Richard of Mandra
Richard, Count of Molise
Richard of Mandra was a Norman nobleman in the Kingdom of Sicily appointed count of Molise and chancellor by the queen regent Margaret of Navarre.In 1157, as the constable of Robert II of Bassunvilla, he was captured by King William I...
, who had saved her late husband's life, count of Molise
Molise
Molise is a region of Southern Italy, the second smallest of the regions. It was formerly part of the region of Abruzzi e Molise and now a separate entity...
and chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
. Gilbert promptly turned on him and the two met for a duel, but were separated before combat could begin. At that point, to rid Palermo of him, Margaret sent Gilbert to the peninsula as catepan of Apulia and Campania to prepare for a possible invasion of Frederick Barbarossa.
The year 1166 also saw the arrival of Rodrigo
Henry, Count of Montescaglioso
Henry or Enrico di Navarra , born Rodrigo, was a son of García Ramírez of Navarre and Marguerite de l'Aigle, and brother of Queen Margaret of Sicily, who made him Count of Montescaglioso and then Count of the Principate .-Arrival in Sicily :The chief primary source for Henry's life is the Sicilian...
, Margaret's brother and Gilbert's cousin, from Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
. Rodrigo was sent to Apulia with the name Henry and the title Count of Montescaglioso
Montescaglioso
Montescaglioso is a town and comune in the Province of Matera, Basilicata, southern Italy.The economy is mostly based on agriculture, including production of renowned oil and wine, as well as traditional food....
and there he staid briefly with Gilbert.
In 1167, Barbarossa finally sent an army into the Campania. This army first established the Antipope Paschal III
Antipope Paschal III
Antipope Paschal III was Antipope from 1164 to 20 September 1168.His real name was Guido of Crema. Paschal III was the second of the antipopes to challenge the reign of Pope Alexander III. In 1164, a small number of cardinals who had elected Victor IV met again to vote Paschal III as his successor...
at Viterbo
Viterbo
See also Viterbo, Texas and Viterbo UniversityViterbo is an ancient city and comune in the Lazio region of central Italy, the capital of the province of Viterbo. It is approximately 80 driving / 80 walking kilometers north of GRA on the Via Cassia, and it is surrounded by the Monti Cimini and...
to prevent Pope Victor IV from reaching Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Gilbert defeated the invasive imperial forces and sent them back into Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
. Barbarossa himself besieged Ancona
Ancona
Ancona is a city and a seaport in the Marche region, in central Italy, with a population of 101,909 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region....
, but the appearance of Gilbert's army south along the Adriatic coast forced him to abandons the siege.
Later in that year, another cousin of Gilbert's, Stephen du Perche
Stephen du Perche
Stephen du Perche was the chancellor of the Kingdom of Sicily and Archbishop of Palermo during the early regency of his cousin, Queen Margaret of Navarre ....
, chancellor and archbishop of Palermo, who had visited Gravina a year earlier, secretly sent for Gilbert's army to support him at Messina. Stephen's life was in danger. At a council in Messina, Henry of Montescaglioso was accused by Gilbert of conspiring against their cousin the chancellor. Evidence of a confession was duly provided and the Navarrese count was imprisoned in Reggio Calabria
Reggio Calabria
Reggio di Calabria , commonly known as Reggio Calabria or Reggio, is the biggest city and the most populated comune of Calabria, southern Italy, and is the capital of the Province of Reggio Calabria and seat of the Council of Calabrian government.Reggio is located on the "toe" of the Italian...
. Gilbert, now high in favour, successfully got the count of Molise, an old adversary, arrested as well. Gilbert left with his army; but Messina was in an uproar.
Messina revolted and freed the imprisoned Count Henry. The insurrection spread and the people of Palermo forced the removal of Stephen du Perche. This accomplished, an interim council was set up to assist the regent. The council exiled Gilbert and he joined Stephen on crusade, taking his wife and son, Bertrand of Andria, with him.
Sources
- Norwich, John JuliusJohn Julius NorwichJohn Julius Cooper, 2nd Viscount Norwich CVO — known as John Julius Norwich — is an English historian, travel writer and television personality.-Early life:...
. The Kingdom in the Sun 1130-1194. Longman: LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 1970. - History of the Tyrants of Sicily at Patrologia LatinaPatrologia LatinaThe Patrologia Latina is an enormous collection of the writings of the Church Fathers and other ecclesiastical writers published by Jacques-Paul Migne between 1844 and 1855, with indices published between 1862 and 1865....
.