Henry, Count of Monte Sant'Angelo
Encyclopedia
Henry was the Count of Monte Sant'Angelo, with his seat at Foggia
, from November 1081.
He was the second son of Robert, Count of Lucera, and Gaitelgrima
, daughter of Guaimar IV of Salerno
. The identity of his father is disputable. He was either the same person as a Robert who was Count of Devia between 1054 and 1081 or he was a son of Asclettin, Count of Aversa
, and brother of Richard I of Capua
. Henry's mother is known from one of his documents of 1098 which calls Guaimar IV avi mei.
Henry had an elder brother named Richard who served as count between 1072 and 1077 and was dead by March 1083. He also had a younger brother named William
and a sister named Gaita who married Rao of Devia.
Henry was the perhaps the same Henry as rebelled between 1079 and 1080 against Robert Guiscard
. He certainly participated in the revolt in Apulia
in 1081, on the eve of the Guiscard's first Balkan campaign. This revolt was led by Geoffrey, Count of Conversano
, and supported by Alexius I Comnenus but quashed by 1083. Nonetheless, Henry had, in during the insurrection, transferred his allegiance to the Byzantine Empire
. Between March 1083 and June 1086, he dated his charters by the reign of Alexius I.
In June 1087, Henry appeared at the side of Roger Borsa
, apparently having patched up his differences with the Hauteville
Dukes of Apulia. He maintained a good rapport with Borsa. In 1088, he was present at the duke's making of a donation to SS Trinità di Venosa and he made his own in 1089. Henry was a prolific donor to Benedictine
monasteries, endowing, besides Venosa, Montecassino, La Trinità della Cava
, S. Sofia di Benevento, and S. Giovanni in Lamis.
For every year between 1089 and 1096, save 1091, all his documents use imperial dating. During this era, his territorial authority reached its maximum extent stretching from Lucera
to Fiorentino
, Vaccarizza, and Siponto
, along the coast of the Gargano
from Vieste
to Rodi and Cagnano
and from San Nicandro
to the promontory, Rignano
, and the Capitanate.
In 1098, he donated land outside the walls of Monte Sant'Angelo to his uncle, John, Abbot of Curte, son of Guaimar IV, for the construction of a hospice. This hospice was approved by Pope Paschal II
in January 1100. In April 1101, the hospice came under Cassinese supervision.
Henry died not long after and was succeeded by his brother William. In October 1104, Roger Borsa besieged William and expelled him, abolishing the county. In 1086, Henry had married Adelicia (died before 1096), daughter of Roger I of Sicily
, but she gave him no descendants.
Foggia
Foggia is a city and comune of Apulia, Italy, capital of the province of Foggia. Foggia is the main city of a plain called Tavoliere, also known as the "granary of Italy".-History:...
, from November 1081.
He was the second son of Robert, Count of Lucera, and Gaitelgrima
Gaitelgrima, daughter of Guaimar IV
Gaitelgrima was the daughter of Guaimar IV of Salerno and Gemma. She was married off by her brother Gisulf II of Salerno to Jordan I of Capua as was her sister, Sichelgaita, to Robert Guiscard....
, daughter of Guaimar IV of Salerno
Guaimar IV of Salerno
Guaimar IV was Prince of Salerno , Duke of Amalfi , Duke of Gaeta , and Prince of Capua in Southern Italy over the period from 1027 to 1052. He was an important figure in the final phase of Byzantine authority in the Mezzogiorno and the commencement of Norman power...
. The identity of his father is disputable. He was either the same person as a Robert who was Count of Devia between 1054 and 1081 or he was a son of Asclettin, Count of Aversa
Asclettin, Count of Aversa
Asclettin Drengot was the son of Asclettin, count of Acerenza, brother of Rainulf Drengot, whom he succeeded in the county of Aversa in 1045...
, and brother of Richard I of Capua
Richard I of Capua
Richard I Drengot was a count of Aversa and prince of Capua .He was the son of Asclettin, count of Acerenza, younger brother of Asclettin, count of Aversa, and nephew of Rainulf Drengot, the Norman adventurer who had first travelled to southern Italy in 1017 and progressed to set up the first...
. Henry's mother is known from one of his documents of 1098 which calls Guaimar IV avi mei.
Henry had an elder brother named Richard who served as count between 1072 and 1077 and was dead by March 1083. He also had a younger brother named William
William, Count of Monte Sant'Angelo
William was the Count of Monte Sant'Angelo from 1102 to 1104. He succeeded his brother Henry on his death.According to the Chronica Montasterii Casinensis of Leo of Ostia, William , whom Leo calls comes civitatis montis Sancti Michahelis archangeli , made a donation to Montecassino in April 1100...
and a sister named Gaita who married Rao of Devia.
Henry was the perhaps the same Henry as rebelled between 1079 and 1080 against Robert Guiscard
Robert Guiscard
Robert d'Hauteville, known as Guiscard, Duke of Apulia and Calabria, from Latin Viscardus and Old French Viscart, often rendered the Resourceful, the Cunning, the Wily, the Fox, or the Weasel was a Norman adventurer conspicuous in the conquest of southern Italy and Sicily...
. He certainly participated in the revolt 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...
in 1081, on the eve of the Guiscard's first Balkan campaign. This revolt was led by Geoffrey, Count of Conversano
Geoffrey, Count of Conversano
Geoffrey the Elder was an Italo-Norman nobleman. A nephew of Robert Guiscard through one of his sisters, he was the count of Conversano from 1072 and the lord of Brindisi and Nardò from 1070, until his death....
, and supported by Alexius I Comnenus but quashed by 1083. Nonetheless, Henry had, in during the insurrection, transferred his allegiance to the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
. Between March 1083 and June 1086, he dated his charters by the reign of Alexius I.
In June 1087, Henry appeared at the side of Roger Borsa
Roger Borsa
Roger Borsa was the Norman Duke of Apulia and effective ruler of southern Italy from 1085 until his death. He was the son of Robert Guiscard, the conqueror of southern Italy and Sicily; Roger was not as adept as his father, and most of his reign was spent in feudal anarchy.-Biography:Roger was the...
, apparently having patched up his differences with the Hauteville
Hauteville family
The family of the Hauteville was a petty baronial Norman family from the Cotentin which rose to prominence in Europe, Asia, and Africa through its conquests in the Mediterranean, especially Southern Italy and Sicily...
Dukes of Apulia. He maintained a good rapport with Borsa. In 1088, he was present at the duke's making of a donation to SS Trinità di Venosa and he made his own in 1089. Henry was a prolific donor to Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monasteries, endowing, besides Venosa, Montecassino, La Trinità della Cava
La Trinità della Cava
La Trinità della Cava is a Benedictine abbey located near Cava de' Tirreni, in the province of Salerno, southern Italy. It stands in a gorge of the Finestre Hills.-History:...
, S. Sofia di Benevento, and S. Giovanni in Lamis.
For every year between 1089 and 1096, save 1091, all his documents use imperial dating. During this era, his territorial authority reached its maximum extent stretching from Lucera
Lucera
Lucera is a town and comune in the Province of Foggia, in the Apulia region of southern Italy.-Ancient era and early Middle Ages :Lucera is an ancient city founded in Daunia, the centre of Dauni territory . Archeological excavations show the presence of a bronze age village inside the city boundaries...
to Fiorentino
Fiorentino
Fiorentino is one of the 9 communes or "castelli" of the Republic of San Marino. It has 2 245 inhabitants in an area of 6.57 km².- Geography :...
, Vaccarizza, and Siponto
Siponto
Siponto was an ancient port town of Apulia in southern Italy. The town was abandoned after earthquakes in the 13th century; today the area is administered as a frazione of the comune of Manfredonia, in the province of Foggia...
, along the coast of the Gargano
Gargano
Gargano is a historical and geographical Italian sub-region situated in Apulia, consisting of a wide isolated mountain massif made of highland and several peaks and forming the backbone of the Gargano Promontory projecting into the Adriatic Sea. The high point is Monte Calvo at . Most of the upland...
from Vieste
Vieste
Vieste is a town and comune in the province of Foggia, in the Apulia region of southeast Italy.thumb|Cathedral of ViesteA marine resort in Gargano, Vieste has received Blue Flags for the purity of its waters from the Foundation for Environmental Education...
to Rodi and Cagnano
Cagnano
Cagnano is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...
and from San Nicandro
San Nicandro Garganico
San Nicandro Garganico is a town and comune in the province of Foggia in the Apulia region of southeast Italy....
to the promontory, Rignano
Rignano Garganico
Rignano Garganico is a town and comune of the province of Foggia in the Apulia region of southern Italy.-Geography:Apricena, Foggia, San Marco in Lamis, San Severo and San Giovanni Rotondo are neighbouring towns....
, and the Capitanate.
In 1098, he donated land outside the walls of Monte Sant'Angelo to his uncle, John, Abbot of Curte, son of Guaimar IV, for the construction of a hospice. This hospice was approved by Pope Paschal II
Pope Paschal II
Pope Paschal II , born Ranierius, was Pope from August 13, 1099, until his death. A monk of the Cluniac order, he was created cardinal priest of the Titulus S...
in January 1100. In April 1101, the hospice came under Cassinese supervision.
Henry died not long after and was succeeded by his brother William. In October 1104, Roger Borsa besieged William and expelled him, abolishing the county. In 1086, Henry had married Adelicia (died before 1096), daughter of Roger I of Sicily
Roger I of Sicily
Roger I , called Bosso and the Great Count, was the Norman Count of Sicily from 1071 to 1101. He was the last great leader of the Norman conquest of southern Italy.-Conquest of Calabria and Sicily:...
, but she gave him no descendants.
Sources
- Chalandon, FerdinandFerdinand ChalandonFerdinand Chalandon was a French medievalist and Byzantinist.Chalandon’s work remains the most substantial study of the Normans in Italy and though the details of what he wrote a hundred years ago have in places been modified, it remains the single most important work available to historians.Being...
. Histoire de la domination normande en Italie et en Sicile. Paris, 1907. - Caravale, Mario (ed). Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani LXII Dugoni – Enza. Rome, 1993.
- Jahn, W. Unersuchungen zur normannischen Herrschaftsbildung in Süditalien (1040–1100). Phil. Diss. Munich, 1988.