- Ralph Drengot
Rudolph Drengot [Also Rodolphe, Lodolfe, Raulf, or Ralph.] was one of the
Drengot family of Norman adventureres who came toSouthern Italy with his brothers, Gilbert, Asclettin, Osmond, and Ranulf.The Drengots arrived in Italy in 1017 to support
Melus of Bari in his rebellion against the Catapanate. According to some sources, they stopped inRome on the way and Rudolph had an audience withPope Benedict VIII . [Glaber, who also accounts Rudolph as the leader of the Normans.] Whatever the case, they aided Melus until their defeat at theBattle of Cannae (1018) .After this, Melus went north to
Bamberg to meet theEmperor Henry II . Rudolph accompanied him. It is certain that Rudolph had an opportunity to then meet with the pope. He returned to the south on the emperor's expedition, after Melus' death, and was installed atComino under one of Melus' nephews, a count. Rudolph then led some Normans back toNormandy .Notes
ources
*
Rodulfus Glaber . "Opera", ed. J. France.Oxford , 1989.
*Chalandon, Ferdinand. "Histoire de la domination normande en Italie et en Sicilie".Paris , 1907.
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