Ingelmarius
Encyclopedia
Ingelmarius was a Norman
knight of humble origins who served Roger I
, the count of Sicily. In reward for his good service to Roger, Ingelmarius was given the hand of the widow of Roger's nephew Serlo II of Hauteville
, the lady Altruda of Boiano. In addition to giving Ingelmarius control of the vast conquests and rights of Altruda's first husband (including the city of Geraci), the marriage also raised Ingelmarius up socially into the nobility.
Unfortunately, Ingelmarius's loyalty to Roger slipped proportionally to his perceived increased standing. Shortly after the wedding, Ingelmarius begun to construct defenses in Geraci from which to resist Roger while simultaneously convincing the town's citizens to support him instead. Angered, Roger demanded that Ingelmarius immediately reduce his fortifications, an act which Ingelmarius refused.
In response, Roger immediately raised an army and marched to Geraci to invest it. Finally, in fear for his fate should he be captured, with the citizens of Geraci tiring of his politics, Ingelmarius fled Geraci leaving Altruda and Geraci to their fate. Roger immediately restored to Altruda all that had belonged to her before the marriage, and in peaceful agreement with the leaders of Geraci, the city was brought back into the fold of Roger's domains.
No more mention is made of Ingelmarius by Roger's contemporary biographer Geoffrey Malaterra. Likely he left for foreign lands where he could have continued to serve as a mercenary or attached himself to another lord.
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...
knight of humble origins who served Roger I
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:...
, the count of Sicily. In reward for his good service to Roger, Ingelmarius was given the hand of the widow of Roger's nephew Serlo II of Hauteville
Serlo II of Hauteville
Serlo II , son and namesake of Serlo of Hauteville and grandson of Tancred of Hauteville, went to seek his fortunes in the Mezzogiorno along with his numerous uncles and cousins, following Roger around 1056, for he is found in Calabria in 1060.He joined Roger's expedition to Sicily in 1060 and,...
, the lady Altruda of Boiano. In addition to giving Ingelmarius control of the vast conquests and rights of Altruda's first husband (including the city of Geraci), the marriage also raised Ingelmarius up socially into the nobility.
Unfortunately, Ingelmarius's loyalty to Roger slipped proportionally to his perceived increased standing. Shortly after the wedding, Ingelmarius begun to construct defenses in Geraci from which to resist Roger while simultaneously convincing the town's citizens to support him instead. Angered, Roger demanded that Ingelmarius immediately reduce his fortifications, an act which Ingelmarius refused.
In response, Roger immediately raised an army and marched to Geraci to invest it. Finally, in fear for his fate should he be captured, with the citizens of Geraci tiring of his politics, Ingelmarius fled Geraci leaving Altruda and Geraci to their fate. Roger immediately restored to Altruda all that had belonged to her before the marriage, and in peaceful agreement with the leaders of Geraci, the city was brought back into the fold of Roger's domains.
No more mention is made of Ingelmarius by Roger's contemporary biographer Geoffrey Malaterra. Likely he left for foreign lands where he could have continued to serve as a mercenary or attached himself to another lord.