GUISCARD, gas'klie, ROBERT (c.1015-85). Duke of Apulia and Calabria. He was the son of Tancred of Hauteville, and was born near Coutanees, in Normandy. His elder brothers, William of the Iron Arm, Drogo, and Humphrey, had gone to Italy to seek their fortunes soon after 1030, and had been very successful. Robert followed them about 1047, but was badly re ceived by them. At first he served under the Prince of Capua, and then acted as the leader of a band of adventurers, endeavoring to secure possessions for himself in Calabria. In 1053 he took a prominent part in the battle near Civitate, in which the Papal forces, led by Leo IX., were defeated by the Normans. In 1057, after the death of Humphrey, Robert became Count of Apulia. About this time he was joined by his brother Roger, who aided him greatly in his conquests. In 1059 Robert concluded a treaty with Pope Nicholas II., who made him Duke of Apulia and Calabria, and 'future Duke' of Sicily, if he could conquer the island. Robert, 'Duke by the grace of God and of Saint Peter,' became the Pope's vassal. This gave the Papacy a feu dal supremacy over Southern Italy which lasted for centuries. In 1060 Roger engaged in the subjugation of Sicily. He was joined in the following year by Robert, and Messina was captured. The conquest proceeded slowly. Paler mo was taken in 1072, and the subjugation of the island was not completed till about 1090, long after the death of Robert. On the southern main land, however, the supremacy of the Normans was firmly established by the capture of Tarentum and Reggio in 1068, and Bari in 1071. In 1074
Robert incurred excommunication by attacking Benevento, which was a Papal possession; but in 1080 there was a reconciliation between Gregory VII. and the Norman duke, who renewed the oath which he had made in 1059. After establish ing a magnificent principality on the ruins of the Byzantine power in Southern Italy, Robert pro ceeded to invade the territory of the Byzantine Empire in the Balkan Peninsula, acting as the champion of the heir of Michael VII., who had been deposed by Alexius Comnenus. In 108] he gained a great victory over Alexius at Durazzo, and captured the city in the following year. The war in Macedonia and Thessaly was carried on mainly by his son, Bohemund (q.v.). From his victorious campaigns Robert was recalled in 1084 to the aid of Gregory VII., who was be sieged in the castle of Saint Angelo by Henry IV. (q.v.). Robert captured and sacked Rome, many of the inhabitants being killed or sold into slavery. He then prepared to renew the war against Alexius, but died at Cephalonia, July 17, 1085. He is described by Anna Comnena (q.v.) as of lofty stature, large frame, and command ing appearance. He was extremely brave, am bitious, and shrewd, but pitiless. The surname Guiscard (sly) is said to have been given him because of his ability and craft. Consult John son, The Normans in. Europe (London, 1877).