Richard of Salerno
Encyclopedia
Richard of Salerno who is not to be confused with his homonym cousin Richard of Hauteville
, was a participant in the First Crusade
and regent of the County of Edessa
from 1104 to 1108.
Richard was born around 1060, the third son of William of the Principate
, a Norman count, and Mary, daughter of Guido, the Lombard
duke of Sorrento. He was also one of the many nephews of Robert Guiscard
and Roger I of Sicily
and in his early life Richard participated with his two famous uncles to the conquest of Sicily.
In 1097, Richard joined his cousins, Bohemund of Taranto
and Tancred
, on the First Crusade
. Richard and Tancred were notable for being among the few Crusaders who could speak Arabic
, an ability doubtlessly learned during the wars in Sicily, which had a strong Arab presence. Anna Comnena relates that when Richard crossed the Adriatic Sea
, his ship was attacked and captured by the Byzantine fleet
, who had mistaken him for a pirate. He was soon released and joined the main Crusader army marching through Bulgaria
and Hungary
. Along with Tancred, Richard refused to swear an oath of fidelity to the Byzantine emperor Alexius I Comnenus, preferring to cross the Bosphorus in secret.
Richard was one of the commanders at the Battle of Dorylaeum in summer 1097. 1098, Richard and Tancred joined Bohemund at the siege of Antioch
. Richard was among those captured with Bohemund in 1100 when ambushed by the Danishmends
at the Battle of Melitene
. From there Richard was sent to the emperor Alexius, who imprisoned him in Constantinople
before he was finally released in 1103. His cousin Tancred then appointed him governor of Edessa
in the winter of 1104, a city which he ruled until 1108. He was bitterly hated by the citizens of Edessa for being ruthless and greedy. During this time, Richard also acted as a diplomat, traveling to France and Italy and arranging the marriage of Bohemund to the princess Constance of France. He was a witness of the 1108 Treaty of Devol
. He also participated in the ultimately disastrous campaigns Bohemund waged against the emperor Alexius, but may have been secretly plotting with Alexius against Bohemund. After Bohemund's death in 1111, Richard retired to Marash, where he died in the great earthquake of November 29, 1114.
By his wife Altrude, daughter of Emma of Hauteville
and Odo the Good Marquis
, he had a son, Roger of Salerno
, who was the regent of the Principality of Antioch
. His daughter Maria married Count Joscelin I of Edessa.
Richard of Hauteville
Richard of Hauteville was a noble knight of Hauteville family, the conquerors of South Italy during the 11th century.Richard was born around 1045 to Drogo of Hauteville, a Norman adventurer and count, and Altrude of Salerno, a Lombard princess. He was a nephew of Robert Guiscard and Roger I of...
, was a participant in the First Crusade
First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
and regent of the County of Edessa
County of Edessa
The County of Edessa was one of the Crusader states in the 12th century, based around Edessa, a city with an ancient history and an early tradition of Christianity....
from 1104 to 1108.
Richard was born around 1060, the third son of William of the Principate
William of the Principate
William of Hauteville was one of the younger sons of Tancred of Hauteville by his second wife Fressenda. He is usually called Willermus instead of Wilelmus in Latin annals and so is often called Guillerm instead of Guillaume in French...
, a Norman count, and Mary, daughter of Guido, the Lombard
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
duke of Sorrento. He was also one of the many nephews of 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...
and 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:...
and in his early life Richard participated with his two famous uncles to the conquest of Sicily.
In 1097, Richard joined his cousins, Bohemund of Taranto
Bohemund I of Antioch
Bohemond I , Prince of Taranto and Prince of Antioch, was one of the leaders of the First Crusade. The Crusade had no outright military leader, but instead was ruled by a committee of nobles...
and Tancred
Tancred, Prince of Galilee
Tancred was a Norman leader of the First Crusade who later became Prince of Galilee and regent of the Principality of Antioch...
, on the First Crusade
First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
. Richard and Tancred were notable for being among the few Crusaders who could speak Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
, an ability doubtlessly learned during the wars in Sicily, which had a strong Arab presence. Anna Comnena relates that when Richard crossed the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
, his ship was attacked and captured by the Byzantine fleet
Byzantine navy
The Byzantine navy was the naval force of the East Roman or Byzantine Empire. Like the empire it served, it was a direct continuation from its imperial Roman predecessor, but played a far greater role in the defense and survival of the state then its earlier iterations...
, who had mistaken him for a pirate. He was soon released and joined the main Crusader army marching through Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. Along with Tancred, Richard refused to swear an oath of fidelity to the Byzantine emperor Alexius I Comnenus, preferring to cross the Bosphorus in secret.
Richard was one of the commanders at the Battle of Dorylaeum in summer 1097. 1098, Richard and Tancred joined Bohemund at the siege of Antioch
Siege of Antioch
The Siege of Antioch took place during the First Crusade in 1097 and 1098. The first siege, by the crusaders against the Muslim city, lasted from October 21, 1097, to June 2, 1098. The second siege, against the crusaders who had occupied it, lasted from June 7 to June 28, 1098.-Background:Antioch...
. Richard was among those captured with Bohemund in 1100 when ambushed by the Danishmends
Danishmends
The Danishmend dynasty was a Turcoman dynasty that ruled in north-central and eastern Anatolia in the 11th and 12th centuries. The centered originally around Sivas, Tokat, and Niksar in central-northeastern Anatolia, they extended as far west as Ankara and Kastamonu for a time, and as far south as...
at the Battle of Melitene
Battle of Melitene
In the Battle of Melitene in 1100, a Crusader force led by Bohemond I of Antioch was defeated by Danishmend Turks commanded by Malik Ghazi Gumushtekin.After acquiring the Principality of Antioch in 1098, Bohemond allied himself with the Armenians of Cilicia...
. From there Richard was sent to the emperor Alexius, who imprisoned him in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
before he was finally released in 1103. His cousin Tancred then appointed him governor of Edessa
Edessa, Mesopotamia
Edessa is the Greek name of an Aramaic town in northern Mesopotamia, as refounded by Seleucus I Nicator. For the modern history of the city, see Şanlıurfa.-Names:...
in the winter of 1104, a city which he ruled until 1108. He was bitterly hated by the citizens of Edessa for being ruthless and greedy. During this time, Richard also acted as a diplomat, traveling to France and Italy and arranging the marriage of Bohemund to the princess Constance of France. He was a witness of the 1108 Treaty of Devol
Treaty of Devol
The Treaty of Devol was an agreement made in 1108 between Bohemond I of Antioch and Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Komnenos, in the wake of the First Crusade. It is named after the Byzantine fortress of Devol in Macedonia...
. He also participated in the ultimately disastrous campaigns Bohemund waged against the emperor Alexius, but may have been secretly plotting with Alexius against Bohemund. After Bohemund's death in 1111, Richard retired to Marash, where he died in the great earthquake of November 29, 1114.
By his wife Altrude, daughter of Emma of Hauteville
Emma of Hauteville
Emma of Hauteville was a daughter of Robert Guiscard and Alberada of Buonalbergo. According to Ralph of Caen, she married Odo the Good Marquis and had two sons: Tancred and William, both of whom participated in the First Crusade. Tancred became Prince of Galilee and William died in the Holy Land...
and Odo the Good Marquis
Odo the Good Marquis
Odo was a Norman nobleman of the First Crusade who ruled over an unknown region of France. He went on to marry Emma of Hauteville and sired two sons, one of whom went on to become Tancred, Prince of Galilee.-Early life:...
, he had a son, Roger of Salerno
Roger of Salerno
Roger of Salerno was regent of the Principality of Antioch from 1112 to 1119.He was the son of Richard of the Principate and the 2nd cousin of Tancred, Prince of Galilee, both participants on the First Crusade. He became regent of Antioch when Tancred died in 1112; the actual prince, Bohemund II,...
, who was the regent of the Principality of Antioch
Principality of Antioch
The Principality of Antioch, including parts of modern-day Turkey and Syria, was one of the crusader states created during the First Crusade.-Foundation:...
. His daughter Maria married Count Joscelin I of Edessa.