County of Apulia

The County of Apulia was a Norman country founded by William the Hauteville,that existed for sixteen years, from 1043 to 1059 in the territories of Gargano, Capitanata, Apulia, Campania and Vulture.

Creation

William I of Hauteville, who returned in September 1042 in Melfi, was recognized from all the Normans as supreme leader. He turns to Guaimar IV, Lombard prince of Salerno and Rainulf Drengot, Count of Aversa, and offers both an alliance. With the unification of the two Norman family, Altavilla and Drengot, Guaimar offers official recognition of the conquests and at the end of the year, an assembly of Lombards and Normans barons at Melfi meets with Rainulf and William, which ends at the beginning of the following year (1043). In this meeting Guaimar V of Salerno ensure the Hauteville dominance over Melfi. Iron Arm form the second core of his possessions and differentiate himself from Rainulf I of Aversa, head of the territories of Campania. All the barons present offer a tribute as a vassal to Guaimar, which recognizes William I of Hauteville the first title of Count of Apulia. To tie it to himself, offers to marry her niece Guide, daughter of the duke Guy of Sorrento. Guaimar reconfirms the title of count to Rainulf as well. is then born the County of Puglia.

William states that the first capital of the county (and home of the Crown) would be Melfi, a city that woul remains outside the partition. It will remain Capital for forty years prior to Salerno: the center of the city was divided into twelve districts, each of them with a palace and a count with control over that area of town.

Bibliography

• John Julius Norwich, The Normans in the South 1016-1130, Longmans, London, 1967.

See also

• List of Counts and Dukes of Apulia and Calabria