The Hauteville Boot of Yore

[Sumerian Donkey]

Welcome!

Table of Content:
Note: Some of these chapters are contained on one update, you might
need to scroll down the page to find the proper chapter. Enjoy! =)

i. Map of South Italy
ii. Prologue

I. Enter Robert 'Guiscard' of Hauteville

• Hollow Alliances

 

[Sumerian Donkey]

threadweight.

 

[Sumerian Donkey]

Map of South Italy

The Boot.

Places of Interest:
1. Melfi - Location of Guiscard's Keep
2. Buonalbergo - Hometown of Guiscard's 1st Wife.
3. Capua - County of Capua's seat of power
4. Salerno - County of Salerno's seat of power
5. Palermo - Thriving Sicilian city

 

[Sumerian Donkey]

Prologue

Prologue

In the early parts of the 11th century, most of the Normans in Southern Italy were mainly mercenaries serving the local nobles. Then Sergius of Napoli installed the Norman Rainulf Drengot to the fortress of Aversa in 1029, giving the Norman irregulars their true foundation in southern Italy.

Famous now was Italy for the thoroughly bored Normans of the Contentin peninsula. Soon William Iron-Arm and Drogo, the two eldest sons of Tancred of Hauteville, a noble of Normandy and a very good mentor to his children as you will soon find out, arrive at Southern Italy. They then join the Lombard conquest of the Byzantine Apulia. The brothers' success in supressing the Byzantines in the area by 1042 ultimately earned them lordship over Apulia. Elected first Count of Apulia was William Iron-Arm and was then succeeded by his brother Drogo.

Meanwhile their half-brother, Robert 'Guiscard' found his way to the western side of the Italian south and joined the Count of Capua in a petty war with the Count of Salerno. In defeating the count of Salerno, Robert 'Guiscard' made a name for himself. He further sealed his prestige in his marriage with the aunt of the Lord of Buonalbergo, Albereda of Buonalbergo. The death of Drogo, now Count of Apulia and Calabria (notice the 'and Calabria' part? Well, he gained that after his further efforts to seize Byzantine possesions in Calabria), set the way for their brother, Humphrey, to take over the lordship.

In 1057, Humphrey dies and the lordship is once again passed on to another son of Tancred of Hauteville, Robert 'Guiscard', who earned the title after showing valiance and courage in a feud between the Papacy led by Pope Leo IX and the people the Pope grew to fear, the Normans.

 

[Sumerian Donkey]

I. Enter Robert 'Guiscard' of Hauteville

"Oh, goodie... It's my turn.”

Robert 'Guiscard' of Hauteville was the eldest son of Tancred of Hauteville by his second wife, Fressenda. Shortly after his well deserved succession, he befriended piety and piety befriended him. As he was related within dangerous degrees with his wife Albereda in the eyes of Christianity, he left her a note in their bedroom, moved to the next room and found Sichelgaita of Salerno, marrying her later on. Remember the count of Salerno in the prologue? Well, Sichelgaita or Sikelgaita to others (whichever) is the niece of the very count he fought with when he first stepped into Italy. The now Pope Nicholas II pleased by this action and for other, well, not-so-hidden political reasons (he was an outright enemy of the Holy Roman Emperor), invested Guiscard titles to Apulia, Calabria and even the predominantly Muslim Sicily. Guiscard, now "by the Grace of God and St Peter duke of Apulia and Calabria and, if either aid me, future lord of Sicily", vowed to uphold his titles and everything to maintain its cause.

"Future lord of Sicily? Yeah, good luck with that."

II. Hollow Alliances

By 1067 Konstantinos X, Emperor of Byzantine, fed up with what was Byzantine Italy, decided to stop all further efforts to regain foothold on the Italian peninsula and instead drastically sought alliance with Guiscard. Konstantinos X was, in fact, desperate to find allies against the warring Seljuk Turks and other Muslim armies in Asia.

"I am old and I am weak and so I am an old and weak Emperor. Please Turks, please shoo away and please give me a break."

Guiscard, who now concentrated on cementing his family's place in Italy and Sicily, was surprised but accepted the alliance without much thought. Guiscard, however, could not spare any time in helping the old beleaguered Emperor. An empty promise was what Guiscard gave to the Emperor and the Emperor could do nothing about it, he was now too busy fending off the Turks and the growing discontent among his vassals was showing its signs. The East Roman Empire was on its knees and to make matters worse, it was decaying from the inside.

Guiscard held some good amount of power by 1072 and that didn’t go unnoticed. Courtiers, ugly, loathsome faces they had when they came to Apulia for an audience went home pleased and prettier as each and everyone wanted Guiscard’s support and which he, without thought again, accepted. He would break each and every promise he made to the Duchess of Toscana, a personal one to Mihajlo Vojislavjevic, the Duke of Rashka and even one to Petar Kresimir the King of Croatia.

The King Petar of Croatia was a very cunning cute peanut of a rat, yes he was. Once he got Guiscard’s promise to lend his sword, he went to siege the castle of Rashka and after sending word to Guiscard, was waiting for his army to cross the Adriatic Sea to finish the deed. Luckily or unluckily for little Rashka (for Guiscard also promised him aid), Guiscard did not come. Surely, Mihajlo Vojislavjevic of Rashka was lucky to keep his castle at Ragusa but the rest of his dukedom was absorbed by King Kresimir, the rat. Both would wonder why Guiscard did not come.

“Why did he not come?”

“He did not come.”

All that while Guiscard was busy… Busy being a father. Awwwwe. So he isn’t that bad of a lord now is he? Until…

Guiscard wanted to become just like his father, to see his sons conquer other people’s lands. For his child Guy, there was a knight from Germania.

Damned medieval era scammers, that was a years worth of income. When they do it, they not only make sure you’re broke, they put you in the negative! Off with his head!

 

[unmerged(15337)]

The King Peter of Croatia was a very cunning cute peanut of a rat, yes he was.

I liked this line. Your story looks interesting, off to a good start.

Has Duke Robert started war in Sicily yet? It would be a shame not to get to use his great martial ability right when you need it most.

 

[Sumerian Donkey]

I liked this line. Your story looks interesting, off to a good start.

Has Duke Robert started war in Sicily yet? It would be a shame not to get to use his great martial ability right when you need it most.

Thanks! I'm glad you find it interesting.. Well, Guiscard is 'the future lord of Sicily', it won't be long until he launches his Sicilian Campaign..

 

[Hastu Neon]

Good to see another Norman AAR. I am following you.

 

[Sumerian Donkey]

Good to see another Norman AAR. I am following you.

Thanks! I've already got one big not-so-Norman thing in store but I hope you'll enjoy.

 

[Sumerian Donkey]

II. The Battle for Sicily

Bohemond, the son of Guiscard with his first wife, Alberada the ex-wife, became friends with Serlo of Hauteville the marshal of the duchy. He soon showed signs of becoming a wise tactician and joined the ranks of the duchy’s leading commanders. He personally saw the fortification of Messina in 1075, joined his father’s assault on Siracusa on the autumn of 1077 and led the subsequent cadmirable capture of Palermo in 1078.

Ayyub ibn Ziri, the emir of Palermo, knew what was coming, not because he was a fortune teller, but because he was informed of the brigade upon brigades of men, the army led by Serlo Hauteville under Guiscard’s orders, marching towards the city of Palermo. He knew he’d lose the city and sought the help of Tammim ibn Ziri, Caliph of nearby Tunisia. A dispatch was sent to Tunisia and the Battle for Palermo in 1077 began not long after.

“Scary this thing I saw.”

Day 1
On or about the 21st of January of 1078, nearly a thousand Sicilian troops under Ayyub ibn Ziri had gathered and had garrisoned the city for 3 days now. Civilians had already fled and by the time the Serlo’s army had arrived, Ayyub ibn Ziri was ready to defend the city until reinforcements came from Tunisia. A small offensive party led by Serlo Hauteville himself raided the surrounding farms, only to be met by continuous long-ranged volleys of arrows. The party panicked and broke form. A group of defenders, seeing a window of advantage, stormed out of Palermo and engaged the attacking force. Serlo Hauteville was seriously wounded and the party fell back to where the rest of the army was situated, just as Bohemund rode with his knights to fend off the attackers.

At night, the defenders celebrated at having triumphed over the first Norman offensive.

Day 2
Serlo’s battlefield wounds hindered him from continuing the battle, Bohemund assumed command and ordered a movement of no less than 300 archers to shower arrows upon Palermo starting from dawn. This move almost completely depleted the Norman’s supply of arrows for the siege by noon but it successfully damaged their enemy’s morale and an estimated 100 were either killed or wounded.

Bohemund's Battleplan

Bohemund had to stop the barrage and in the early afternoon sent a messenger demanding their surrender bluffing that the barrage would continue for days if they wouldn’t accept. Ayyub ibn Ziri rejected the demands and, much to Bohemund’s amusement, Ayyub replied with their own demand that the Normans surrender, which was also rejected.

Day 3
Bohemund once again decided to form the archers but this time with his army also visibly prepared to assault. This caused Ayyub to panic and instructed the same arrow barrage tactic from the walls, which was even more disastrous as they were already low on arrow supplies and Bohemund’s archers had just enough to effectively finish and scare some of the defenders off the walls and into wide cover.

In the middle of this, Ayyub’s messenger to the caliph of Tunisia returned only to bring him bad news. The caliph could not assist him. It did not matter anymore though as Bohemund’s army was already preparing to assault the city.

Ayyud's Surrender
Ignored by the Caliph, the emir sought to ally himself with the Normans instead and surrendered Palermo on the 23rd of January, just after 3 eventful days of siege. Bohemund was praised by Serlo, Guiscard and the rest of the duchy after showing tactical competence in the battle of Palermo. Bohemund was widely accepted as the most suitable person to become the duke of Sicily.

 

[unmerged(15337)]

Nice. With Palermo conquered the rest of Sicily should not be difficult.

I like your maps and diagrams. They are very helpful to visualize all the action.

Is Bohemond next in line for the Duke title, or is it Roger Borsa? When I played the de Hautevilles, the successor was Roger at first, but at some point I got an event with the option to recognize Bohemond as the heir instead. (Actually I think he demanded it).

 

[Sumerian Donkey]

Nice. With Palermo conquered the rest of Sicily should not be difficult.

I like your maps and diagrams. They are very helpful to visualize all the action.

Is Bohemond next in line for the Duke title, or is it Roger Borsa? When I played the de Hautevilles, the successor was Roger at first, but at some point I got an event with the option to recognize Bohemond as the heir instead. (Actually I think he demanded it).

Thanks! Sicily is now controlled by Catholics actually (you'll find the map useful here), 3 provinces I control : Messina, Siracusa, Palermo, 1 by Venice : Trappani, and another by Germans : Agrigento. Next update will be about a spat between the controllers of the island.. Watch out for it.

Also, yes, it is Roger Borsa, and he'll interestingly come into the picture soon enough..