Everything about Rainulf Drengot totally explained
Rainulf Drengot (also Ranulph, Ranulf, or Rannulf) was a
Norman adventurer and the first
count of Aversa (
1030–
1045).
When one of Rainulf's numerous brothers,
Osmond, was exiled by
Richard I of Normandy for the murder of one of his kin, Rainulf, Osmond, and their brothers
Gilbert Buatère,
Asclettin (later count of
Acerenza), and
Raulf went on a pilgrimage to the shrine of the soldier-archangel,
Michael, at
Monte Sant'Angelo sul Gargano in the Byzantine
Catepanate of Italy. They brought with them a band of 250 warriors, formed of other exiles, landless cadets and similar adventurers.
In
1017 they arrived in the
Mezzogiorno, which was in a state of virtual anarchy. Establishing a stronghold at
Monte Gargano in
Apulia, they joined forces with the
Lombard Melus of Bari, who had rebelled against his Byzantine overlords but who was currently on the run. Their first major engagement with the army of the Byzantine
catepan Basil Boioannes, fought at
Canne della Battaglia, an ancient Apulian
villa, was a disaster for the
Normans. They were decimated and their leader, Rainulf's brother Gilbert, was killed. Rainulf, who now came to the fore as the undisputed leader and withdrew with the remnants of the band from Apulia to
Campania, where, according to
Amatus of Montecassino, though surrounded by enemies they were able to take advantage of dissension among the undisciplined Lombard lords.
They took to protecting, at a price, bands of pilgrims headed for the shrine of St Michael from the depredations of other marauders. Rainulf also served the Lombard
Pandulf IV of Capua. "Under his protection," Amatus reports, "they hastened to plunder the neighboring places and to harass his enemies. But since human thoughts are inclined to greed and money always triumphs in the end, from time to time they abandoned him... They sold their services as they could, according to circumstances, offering most to him who gave most." Soon the balance of power in Lombard Campania lay in Norman hands: "For the Normans never desired any of the Lombards to win a decisive victory, in case this should be to their disadvantage. But now supporting the one and then aiding the other, they prevented anyone being completely ruined."
Norman reinforcements and local miscreants, who found a welcome in Rainulf's encampment with no questions asked, swelled the numbers at Rainulf's command. There
Norman language and Norman customs welded a disparate group into the semblance of a nation, as Amatus observed.
Rainulf eventually switched his allegiance to
Sergius IV of Naples, with whom he achieved some success. In 1030, Duke Sergius gave him the former Byzantine stronghold of
Aversa north of Naples, with the title of count and his sister in marriage. In 1034, this first wife died, and Rainulf married the daughter of the
duke of
Amalfi, who was also the niece of Sergius' inveterate enemy, Pandulf IV of Capua; He expanded his territory at the expense of the abbey of
Montecassino. His title to Aversa was recognised in
1037 by
Emperor Conrad II. After vanquishing the Byzantines in battle in
1038, he declared himself prince, formalizing his independence from
Naples and from his former Lombard allies. He conquered his neighbour Pandulf's principality, and Conrad approved the union of the two domains, which formed the largest polity in southern Italy. In
1039, he was at the side of
Guaimar IV of Salerno and the emperor Conrad. In 1042, after the victory of his Norman ally
Wiliam of Hauteville, called "Bras-de-Fer", he received, from the erstwhile Byzantine territories, suzerainty over
Siponte and Monte Gargano. He died in June 1045 and was succeeded by his nephew, Asclettin, son of Asclettin of Acerenza.
The historians
Amatus of Montecassino and
William of Apulia are two contemporary sources for the career of Rainulf.
Further Information
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