Roger of Lauria
Encyclopedia
Roger of Lauria, Loria or de Llúria in Catalan (c. 1245 – 17 January 1305), was an Sicilian-Aragonese admiral
, who was the commander of the fleet of Aragon
during the War of the Sicilian Vespers
. He was probably the most successful and talented naval tactician of the medieval period. He is known as Ruggero or Ruggiero di Lauria in Italian.
or Scalea
in southern Italy, the son of Richard of Lauria, Great Justiciar of the Kingdom of Naples
, and Donna Bella, a nurse of Constance of Hohenstaufen. His father had served under King Manfred of Sicily
; when the last member of that family, Conradin of Swabia, was beheaded at Naples in 1268, he took refuge with other Ghibelline
exiles at Barcelona
(Aragon
) with his mother.
Later King Peter III of Aragon
, who had married Constance of Hohenstaufen, made him knight together with Corrado Lancia, who was to be a fellow of Roger in many of his enterprises. In 1282 Roger was named commander of the Aragonese fleet, keeping this charge under Peter's successors James II
and Frederick III
.
Roger of Lauria commanded the Aragonese fleet during the campaign to capture Sicily
from the Angevins
after the Sicilian Vespers
revolt in 1282, which made the Aragonese rulers of Sicily. He fought and won six naval galley battles in total. On 8 July 1283 (Battle of Malta
) he defeated the Angevins in the Grand Harbour of Malta. On 5 June 1284 (Battle of Castellammare
), he defeated the Neapolitan fleet and even captured the enemy commander, Charles of Salerno (the future Charles II of Naples
).
On 4 September 1285 (Battle of Les Formigues
) during the Aragonese Crusade
, he defeated the French near Barcelona, which destroyed for a long time the Franch naval power in the Mediterranean. Within days, he had landed and took part in the Battle of the Col de Panissars
. On 23 June 1287 (Battle of the Counts
) he again defeated the Angevins near Naples, despite his fleet consisting of only forty ships against the enemys' eighty. After this victory, without any authorisation from King James, he sold a truce with the Neapolitans. Observers noted that this truce probably deprived the Aragonese-Sicilians of the victory also on the mainland.
When Frederick III was elected King of Trinacria (Sicily), Roger received in reward of his victories the fief of Aci
and the annexed castle, stripped from the bishops of Catania
. However, the relationship between the admiral and the young King soon turned bad; when the former passed to the Angevins, Aci was besieged and captured by Frederick, and Roger took refuge at his summer residence in Castiglione di Sicilia
. Again besieged and defeated, he was arrested and brought to Palermo
. However he managed to escape and left Sicily, while all his fiefs were confiscated. Roger therefore passed to the service of Edward I of England
, to fight against the French. But, in spite of his promises, he returned to Italy, where, on 4 July 1299 (Battle of Cape Orlando
), he defeated the Sicilians near Sicily, capturing eighteen enemy galleys.
He had another victory on 14 June 1300 (Battle of Ponza), in which he defeated and captured king Frederick himself. After the Peace of Caltabellotta
, he submitted to Frederick and received a whole pardon. He retreated to Cocentaina
, where he died in 1305.
archers were used initially, while his oarsmen and/or almogàvers (unarmored and highly mobile troops armed with two javelins, a lance and a dagger) stayed under cover. When the galleys closed, often from the sides of the enemy galleys (which damaged their oars), these almogàvers were much more agile than the heavily armored knights with swords his enemies often used, especially on the moving deck of a galley at sea. He used trickery to disguise the size of his force. In addition, he sometimes kept some of his galleys hidden, to attack the rear of the enemy after the battle had started.
Roger was also infamous for the ruthless sackings and the devastations of his actions, often driven only by greed and personal advantage. On the other side, his reputation alone possibly caused some enemies to lose heart during a battle.
(Italian Royal Navy) battleship
Ruggiero di Lauria
, completed in 1888 and stricken in 1909, was named for Roger of Lauria.
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
, who was the commander of the fleet of Aragon
Crown of Aragon
The Crown of Aragon Corona d'Aragón Corona d'Aragó Corona Aragonum controlling a large portion of the present-day eastern Spain and southeastern France, as well as some of the major islands and mainland possessions stretching across the Mediterranean as far as Greece...
during the War of the Sicilian Vespers
War of the Sicilian Vespers
The War of the ' Vespers started with the insurrection of the Sicilian Vespers against Charles of Anjou in 1282 and finally ended with the peace of Caltabellotta in 1302...
. He was probably the most successful and talented naval tactician of the medieval period. He is known as Ruggero or Ruggiero di Lauria in Italian.
Biography
Roger of Lauria was born at LauriaLauria
Lauria is a city and comune of Basilicata, Italy, in the province of Potenza, situated near the borders of Calabria.It is a walled town on the steep side of a hill with another portion in the plain below.-History:...
or Scalea
Scalea
Scalea is a town and comune in the province of Cosenza in the Calabria region of southern Italy.The town takes its name from its terraced lay-out on the hillside, at the bottom of the Capo Scalea promontory...
in southern Italy, the son of Richard of Lauria, Great Justiciar of the Kingdom of Naples
Kingdom of Naples
The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of...
, and Donna Bella, a nurse of Constance of Hohenstaufen. His father had served under King Manfred of Sicily
Manfred of Sicily
Manfred was the King of Sicily from 1258 to 1266. He was a natural son of the emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen but his mother, Bianca Lancia , is reported by Matthew of Paris to have been married to the emperor while on her deathbed.-Background:Manfred was born in Venosa...
; when the last member of that family, Conradin of Swabia, was beheaded at Naples in 1268, he took refuge with other Ghibelline
Guelphs and Ghibellines
The Guelphs and Ghibellines were factions supporting the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor, respectively, in central and northern Italy. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the split between these two parties was a particularly important aspect of the internal policy of the Italian city-states...
exiles at Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
(Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
) with his mother.
Later King Peter III of Aragon
Peter III of Aragon
Peter the Great was the King of Aragon of Valencia , and Count of Barcelona from 1276 to his death. He conquered Sicily and became its king in 1282. He was one of the greatest of medieval Aragonese monarchs.-Youth and succession:Peter was the eldest son of James I of Aragon and his second wife...
, who had married Constance of Hohenstaufen, made him knight together with Corrado Lancia, who was to be a fellow of Roger in many of his enterprises. In 1282 Roger was named commander of the Aragonese fleet, keeping this charge under Peter's successors James II
James II of Aragon
James II , called the Just was the King of Sicily from 1285 to 1296 and King of Aragon and Valencia and Count of Barcelona from 1291 to 1327. In 1297 he was granted the Kingdom of Sardinia and Corsica...
and Frederick III
Frederick III of Sicily
Frederick II was the regent and subsequently King of Sicily from 1295 until his death. He was the third son of Peter III of Aragon and served in the War of the Sicilian Vespers on behalf of his father and brothers, Alfonso and James...
.
Roger of Lauria commanded the Aragonese fleet during the campaign to capture Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
from the Angevins
Capetian House of Anjou
The Capetian House of Anjou, also known as the House of Anjou-Sicily and House of Anjou-Naples, was a royal house and cadet branch of the direct House of Capet. Founded by Charles I of Sicily, a son of Louis VIII of France, the Capetian king first ruled the Kingdom of Sicily during the 13th century...
after the Sicilian Vespers
Sicilian Vespers
The Sicilian Vespers is the name given to the successful rebellion on the island of Sicily that broke out on the Easter of 1282 against the rule of the French/Angevin king Charles I, who had ruled the Kingdom of Sicily since 1266. Within six weeks three thousand French men and women were slain by...
revolt in 1282, which made the Aragonese rulers of Sicily. He fought and won six naval galley battles in total. On 8 July 1283 (Battle of Malta
Battle of Malta
The Battle of Malta took place on 8 July 1283 in the entrance to the Grand Harbour, the principal harbor of Malta, when a galley fleet commanded by Roger of Lauria defeated a fleet of Angevin galleys commanded by William Cornut and Bartholomew Bonvin...
) he defeated the Angevins in the Grand Harbour of Malta. On 5 June 1284 (Battle of Castellammare
Battle of the Gulf of Naples
The naval Battle of the Gulf of Naples took place on 5 June 1284 in the south of the Gulf of Naples, Italy, when an Aragonese-Sicilian galley fleet commanded by Roger of Lauria defeated a Neapolitan galley fleet commanded by Charles of Salerno and captured Charles.Charles' Genoese allies had...
), he defeated the Neapolitan fleet and even captured the enemy commander, Charles of Salerno (the future Charles II of Naples
Charles II of Naples
Charles II, known as "the Lame" was King of Naples, King of Albania, Prince of Salerno, Prince of Achaea and Count of Anjou.-Biography:...
).
On 4 September 1285 (Battle of Les Formigues
Battle of Les Formigues
The naval Battle of Les Formigues took place probably in the early morning of 4 September 1285 near Les Formigues Islands, about 85 km northeast of Barcelona, when a Catalan-Sicilian galley fleet commanded by Roger of Lauria defeated a French and Genoese galley fleet commanded by Guilhem de...
) during the Aragonese Crusade
Aragonese Crusade
The Aragonese Crusade or Crusade of Aragon, a part of the larger War of the Sicilian Vespers, was declared by Pope Martin IV against the King of Aragon, Peter III the Great, in 1284 and 1285...
, he defeated the French near Barcelona, which destroyed for a long time the Franch naval power in the Mediterranean. Within days, he had landed and took part in the Battle of the Col de Panissars
Battle of the Col de Panissars
The Battle of the Col de Panissars was fought on 30 September and 1 October 1285 between the forces of Philip III of France and Peter III of Aragón...
. On 23 June 1287 (Battle of the Counts
Battle of the Counts
The naval Battle of the Counts took place on 23 June 1287 at Naples, Italy, when an Aragonese-Sicilian galley fleet commanded by Roger of Lauria defeated a large combined Angevin galley fleet commanded respectively by Reynald III Quarrel and Narjot de Toucy.Lauria had taken his fleet to Augusta,...
) he again defeated the Angevins near Naples, despite his fleet consisting of only forty ships against the enemys' eighty. After this victory, without any authorisation from King James, he sold a truce with the Neapolitans. Observers noted that this truce probably deprived the Aragonese-Sicilians of the victory also on the mainland.
When Frederick III was elected King of Trinacria (Sicily), Roger received in reward of his victories the fief of Aci
Aci Castello
Aci Castello is a city and comune in the Province of Catania in Sicily, Italy. The city is located 9 km north of Catania on the Mediterranean coast. The primary economic sectors are agriculture and industry...
and the annexed castle, stripped from the bishops of Catania
Catania
Catania is an Italian city on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian Sea, between Messina and Syracuse. It is the capital of the homonymous province, and with 298,957 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in Sicily and the tenth in Italy.Catania is known to have a seismic history and...
. However, the relationship between the admiral and the young King soon turned bad; when the former passed to the Angevins, Aci was besieged and captured by Frederick, and Roger took refuge at his summer residence in Castiglione di Sicilia
Castiglione di Sicilia
Castiglione di Sicilia is a comune in the Province of Catania in Sicily.-Geography:...
. Again besieged and defeated, he was arrested and brought to Palermo
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
. However he managed to escape and left Sicily, while all his fiefs were confiscated. Roger therefore passed to the service of Edward I of England
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
, to fight against the French. But, in spite of his promises, he returned to Italy, where, on 4 July 1299 (Battle of Cape Orlando
Battle of Cape Orlando
The naval Battle of Cape Orlando took place on 4 July 1299 at St Marco di Val Demone, north-western Sicily, when an Aragonese and Angevin galley fleet commanded by Roger of Lauria defeated a Sicilian galley fleet commanded by Conrad d'Oria. Both leaders, James II and Frederick III, were present...
), he defeated the Sicilians near Sicily, capturing eighteen enemy galleys.
He had another victory on 14 June 1300 (Battle of Ponza), in which he defeated and captured king Frederick himself. After the Peace of Caltabellotta
Peace of Caltabellotta
The Peace of Caltabellotta, signed on 31 August, 1302, was the last of a series of treaties, including those of Tarascon and Anagni, designed to end the conflict between the Houses of Anjou and Barcelona for ascendancy in the Mediterranean and especially Sicily and the Mezzogiorno.The peace divided...
, he submitted to Frederick and received a whole pardon. He retreated to Cocentaina
Cocentaina
Cocentaina is a town located in the comarca of Comtat, in the province of Alicante, Spain. The city is located between the mountainous Serra de Mariola national park and the Serpis river.The economy of Cocentaina is chiefly based on the textile industry....
, where he died in 1305.
Tactics
Roger was successful in naval warfare because of several skillful tactics. He tried to lure enemy fleets out of defended ports, pretending to retreat and getting them to chase him until they became disorganized, then turning in formation to attack. He had much more control over his captains than the enemies did. His crews were made up of specialized troops, instead of the more generic types used by his enemies. His CatalanCatalan people
The Catalans or Catalonians are the people from, or with origins in, Catalonia that form a historical nationality in Spain. The inhabitants of the adjacent portion of southern France are sometimes included in this definition...
archers were used initially, while his oarsmen and/or almogàvers (unarmored and highly mobile troops armed with two javelins, a lance and a dagger) stayed under cover. When the galleys closed, often from the sides of the enemy galleys (which damaged their oars), these almogàvers were much more agile than the heavily armored knights with swords his enemies often used, especially on the moving deck of a galley at sea. He used trickery to disguise the size of his force. In addition, he sometimes kept some of his galleys hidden, to attack the rear of the enemy after the battle had started.
Roger was also infamous for the ruthless sackings and the devastations of his actions, often driven only by greed and personal advantage. On the other side, his reputation alone possibly caused some enemies to lose heart during a battle.
Namesakes
The Regia MarinaRegia Marina
The Regia Marina dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification...
(Italian Royal Navy) battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
Ruggiero di Lauria
Italian battleship Ruggiero di Lauria
Ruggiero di Lauria was an Italian battleship launched in 1884. She was the lead ship of the Ruggiero di Lauria-class pre-dreadnoughts, and served in the Regia Marina during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.-Design:...
, completed in 1888 and stricken in 1909, was named for Roger of Lauria.