LAURIA (LURIA or LORIA) ROGER DE (d. 1305), admiral of Aragon and Sicily, was the most prominent figure in the naval war which arose directly from the Sicilian Vespers. Brought up at the court of Aragon, after the submission of Sicily to Peter III., in 1283 he was made admiral and in the same year defeated a French naval force in the service of Charles of Anjou, off Malta. In 1284 Roger defeated the Angevine fleet in the Bay of Naples, taking prisoner the heir to the kingdom, Charles of Salerno. In 1285 he fought on the coast of Catalonia one of the most brilliant campaigns in all naval history. The French king Philippe le Hardi had invaded Catalonia with a large army, which relied almost wholly for its stores on the co-operation of its allies stationed in squadrons along the coast. Roger de Lauria, recalled from Palermo by Peter III. fell on the central squadron of the French fleet near the Hormigas : the Catalan and Sicilian squadrons gained a complete victory.
This campaign, which was followed up by destructive attacks on the French coast, saved Catalonia from the invaders and com pletely ruined the French naval power for the time being.
After the death of Peter III. (1286), Roger de Lauria adhered for a time to Fadrique, younger brother of the new king, James, who had accepted the Sicilian crown in defiance of both the Angevines and his senior. Fadrique's arrogant temper and his own large estates in Valencia (which were a strong reason for not offending the king of Aragon) led to Lauria's secession. His Sicilian estates were confiscated by Fadrique and one of his nephews was put to death as a traitor. Roger de Lauria died at Valencia on Jan. 2, 1305.
See M. Amari, La guerra del Vespro Siciliano (Paris, 18.4.3, 2 vols.) ; Ramon de Muntaner, Chronica, ed. K. Lanz (Stuttgart, 1844) ; Ch. de la Ronciere, Histoire de la marine francaise, i. 189-217