Sylvester of Marsico
Encyclopedia
Sylvester count of Marsico
, was a Norman
nobleman of the Kingdom of Sicily
.
Second son of Godfrey of Ragusa
, second eldest son of Roger I of Sicily
, he was not a young man when he first rose to importance in the realm. He immediately seized all the property of the Admiral Maio of Bari
in Palermo
on the latter's assassination (10 November 1160). He was then chosen by the king as one of three triumvirs to succeed Maio's place in the administration.
His appointment was made to please the aristocracy which, under Matthew Bonnellus
, had murdered Maio. Sylvester, though distantly related to King William I
, was possibly a conspirator with Bonnellus. His fellow triumvirs were Henry Aristippus
and the Bishop Palmer.
When in 1162 William was besieging Salerno
, Sylvester and Palmer interceded on behalf of the Salernitan notary
Matthew of Ajello
to prevent a sack. It was his last important act. He died later that year and was replaced by the caïd Peter. He left a daughter named Matilda who is buried in San Cataldo, the foundation of Maio which Sylvester had secured for himself.
Marsico
Marsico may refer to two Italian municipalities:*Marsico Nuovo, in the Province of Potenza *Marsicovetere, in the Province of Potenza...
, was a Norman
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...
nobleman of the Kingdom of Sicily
Kingdom of Sicily
The Kingdom of Sicily was a state that existed in the south of Italy from its founding by Roger II in 1130 until 1816. It was a successor state of the County of Sicily, which had been founded in 1071 during the Norman conquest of southern Italy...
.
Second son of Godfrey of Ragusa
Geoffrey, Count of Ragusa
Geoffrey or Godfrey was the second eldest son of Roger I of Sicily. He was probably a bastard, like his elder brother Jordan, but he may have been legitimate, either the son of Judith of Évreux or Eremburga of Mortain. Either way, he stood no chance of inheriting, for he had leprosy , or some...
, second eldest son 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:...
, he was not a young man when he first rose to importance in the realm. He immediately seized all the property of the Admiral Maio of Bari
Maio of Bari
Maio of Bari , a Lombard merchant's son from Bari, was the third of the great admirals of Sicily. An ammiratus ammiratorum, or "Emir of Emirs," he was the most important man in the kingdom save the king himself. After the deposition and execution of Philip of Mahdia , the admiralcy was vacant for...
in 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...
on the latter's assassination (10 November 1160). He was then chosen by the king as one of three triumvirs to succeed Maio's place in the administration.
His appointment was made to please the aristocracy which, under Matthew Bonnellus
Matthew Bonnellus
Matthew Bonnellus was a rich knight of an ancient and influential Norman family who became the lord of Caccamo in Sicily. He is most famous as the leader of three consecutive revolts against the ammiratus ammiratorum Maio of Bari and King William I of Sicily.When young he was attached to Maio, who...
, had murdered Maio. Sylvester, though distantly related to King William I
William I of Sicily
William I , called the Bad or the Wicked, was the second king of Sicily, ruling from his father's death in 1154 to his own...
, was possibly a conspirator with Bonnellus. His fellow triumvirs were Henry Aristippus
Henry Aristippus
Henry Aristippus of Calabria, sometimes known as Enericus or Henricus Aristippus, was the archdeacon of Catania and later chief familiaris of the triumvirate of familiares who replaced the Emir Maio of Bari as chief functionaries of the kingdom of Sicily in 1161...
and the Bishop Palmer.
When in 1162 William was besieging Salerno
Salerno
Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
, Sylvester and Palmer interceded on behalf of the Salernitan notary
Civil law notary
Civil-law notaries, or Latin notaries, are lawyers of noncontentious private civil law who draft, take, and record legal instruments for private parties, provide legal advice and give attendance in person, and are vested as public officers with the authentication power of the State...
Matthew of Ajello
Matthew of Ajello
Matthew of Ajello was a high-ranking member of the Norman court of the Kingdom of Sicily in the 12th century.He first appears as the notary of the Admiral Maio of Bari who drew up the Treaty of Benevento of 1156...
to prevent a sack. It was his last important act. He died later that year and was replaced by the caïd Peter. He left a daughter named Matilda who is buried in San Cataldo, the foundation of Maio which Sylvester had secured for himself.
Sources
- Norwich, John JuliusJohn Julius NorwichJohn Julius Cooper, 2nd Viscount Norwich CVO — known as John Julius Norwich — is an English historian, travel writer and television personality.-Early life:...
. The Kingdom in the Sun 1130-1194. Longman: LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 1970. - Matthew, Donald. The Norman Kingdom of Sicily. Cambridge University PressCambridge University PressCambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
: 1992.