Battle of Civitate
San Paolo di Civitate, near the Fortore River, Apulia, Italy
What happened
Norman knights under Humphrey of Hauteville, Robert Guiscard and Richard of Aversa fought an army raised by Pope Leo IX, including Swabian infantry and Italian troops. Norman adventurers had been taking land in southern Italy, and Pope Leo IX gathered an army to stop them. The Normans, outnumbered and short of food, attacked; the Italian troops fled, and the Swabian infantry was overcome. The pope himself was taken prisoner in the town of Civitate.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It was a turning point for the Normans in Italy, making their rule more accepted. It was Robert Guiscard's first major victory.
What came next
The pope was held at Benevento for about nine or ten months. In 1059, under the Treaty of Melfi, a later pope recognised Robert Guiscard as Duke of Apulia and Calabria.
Did you know?
Robert's nickname 'Guiscard' is often translated as 'the Cunning' or 'the Fox'.
Timeline
- 18 June 1053The Normans defeat the papal army at Civitate.
- 1071Bari surrenders, ending Byzantine rule in Italy.