Approximate territorial extent of the Catapanate of Italy during the early 11th century. Modern city names (in English) are provided alongside the medieval Greek names.
The
Catepanate (or
Catapanate)
of Italy () was a province of the
Byzantine Empire, comprising mainland Italy south of a line drawn from
Monte Gargano to the
Gulf of Salerno.
Amalfi and
Naples, although north of that line, maintained allegiance to
Constantinople through the catepan. The Italian region of
Capitanata derives its name from the Catepanate.
History
In 873, the
Byzantines retook
Bari from the
Saracens. Along with the already-existing theme of
Calabria, the region of Apulia, around Bari, formed a new theme, that of
Longobardia. In ca. 965, the
stratēgos of Bari was raised to the title of
katepanō of Italy, usually with the rank of
patrikios. The title of
katepanō meant "the uppermost" in the
Greek language.
Some
Norman adventurers, on pilgrimage to
Monte Sant'Angelo sul Gargano, lent their swords in 1017 to the
Lombard cities of
Apulia against the Byzantines. From 1016 to 1030 the Normans were pure mercenaries, serving either Byzantines or Lombards, and then
Sergius IV of Naples, by installing the leader
Ranulf Drengot in the fortress of Aversa in 1030, gave them their first pied-à-terre and they began an organized conquest of the land. In 1030 there arrived William and Drogo, the two eldest sons of
Tancred of Hauteville, a petty noble of
Coutances in
Normandy. The two joined in the organized attempt to wrest Apulia from the Byzantines, who by 1040 had lost most of that province. Bari was reduced (April 1071) and the Byzantines finally ousted from southern Italy. They returned briefly to besiege Bari in 1156.
The title
Catapan of Apulia and Campania was revived briefly in 1166 for
Gilbert, Count of Gravina, the cousin of the queen regent
Margaret of Navarre. In 1167, with his authority as catapan, Gilbert forced German troops out of the
Campania and compelled
Frederick Barbarossa to raise the siege of
Ancona.
Catepans
Sources
- Gay, Jules. L'Italie méridionale et l'empire Byzantin. Burt Franklin: New York, 1904.
See also
Category:Provinces of the Byzantine Empire Category:Medieval ItalyCategory:11th century in ItalyCategory:12th century in ItalyCategory:Former countries on the Italian PeninsulaCategory:Geographical, historical and cultural regions of ItalyCategory:States and territories established in 999ca:Catepanatde:Katepanat Italienes:Catapanato de Italiafr:Catépanat d'Italieit:Catepanato d'Italianl:Katapanaat van Italiëpl:Katapanat Italiisl:Italijanski katepanat
