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William Iron Arm
William of Hauteville (died 1046), better known by his nickname, William Iron Arm, was a Norman military leader and the first Count of Apulia. He initiated the series of fortunes of the House of Hauteville.
William was a son of Tancred of Hauteville by his first wife Muriella. Goffredo Malaterra records him as being the eldest son, while Romuald Guarna records him as being the fourth, coming after Serlo, Geoffrey and Drogo. Regardless, it is unlikely that William was older than Serlo, as Serlo stayed in Normandy to inherit their father's possessions, while William journeyed to Southern Italy.
Since Tancred had many sons, and his possessions weren't enough to satisfy all of them, William and many of his brothers were soon forced to seek fortune elsewhere.
Around 1035/7, William journeyed to Southern Italy with his brothers Drogo and Humphrey, to strengthen the ranks of Rainulf Drengot, Count of Aversa, the first Norman mercenary lord who had been granted a fief. Together with Rainulf, the Hauteville brothers took part in a military operation led by Guaimar IV of Salerno against Pandulf IV, Prince of Capua.
With time, William and his brothers put themselves under the direct service of Guaimar IV. Guaimar sent them, together with other Norman and Lombard forces, to help in a Byzantine attempt to conquer Sicily, which was occupied by the Saracens. Between 1038 and 1040, William, together with his brothers, fought in Sicily, distinguishing himself in a victory obtained at the feet of Mount Etna. During the siege of Syracuse, led by the Byzantine general Georgios Maniakes, William charged and single-handedly killed the emir of the city, gaining himself his nickname, "Iron Arm".
After the siege of Syracuse, due to unpaid wages and an unfair division of loot, the Norman forces were dissatisfied with Maniakes. They sent forward their leader, Arduin, to give a voice to their reasons. Maniakes, however, humiliated Arduin, and both the Normans and Lombards immediately left the Byzantine expedition (which was already weakened by internal discord) and returned to Guaimar IV.
In 1040 a Lombard rebellion in Apulia, led by the nobleman Argyrus, started. Arduin, being a Lombard himself, travelled to Aversa and asked for help from his former Norman soldiers, among whom there was obviously William. In exchange, he would have given them control of Melfi, and from there Normans and Lombards would have chased off the Byzantines and would have divided Apulia between themselves. The Norman forces were essential in obtaining two victories: one at Montemaggiore, on May 4, 1041, and the other at Montepeloso, on September 3 of the same year.
During the rebellion, due to corruption and distrust, the Lombard and Norman forces struggled to maintain a leader. Arduin was refused as a figurehead by the Apulian Lombards, and his successive successors, Atenulf of Benevento and then Argyrus, were both subjects of bribery by the Byzantines.
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William Iron Arm
William of Hauteville (died 1046), better known by his nickname, William Iron Arm, was a Norman military leader and the first Count of Apulia. He initiated the series of fortunes of the House of Hauteville.
William was a son of Tancred of Hauteville by his first wife Muriella. Goffredo Malaterra records him as being the eldest son, while Romuald Guarna records him as being the fourth, coming after Serlo, Geoffrey and Drogo. Regardless, it is unlikely that William was older than Serlo, as Serlo stayed in Normandy to inherit their father's possessions, while William journeyed to Southern Italy.
Since Tancred had many sons, and his possessions weren't enough to satisfy all of them, William and many of his brothers were soon forced to seek fortune elsewhere.
Around 1035/7, William journeyed to Southern Italy with his brothers Drogo and Humphrey, to strengthen the ranks of Rainulf Drengot, Count of Aversa, the first Norman mercenary lord who had been granted a fief. Together with Rainulf, the Hauteville brothers took part in a military operation led by Guaimar IV of Salerno against Pandulf IV, Prince of Capua.
With time, William and his brothers put themselves under the direct service of Guaimar IV. Guaimar sent them, together with other Norman and Lombard forces, to help in a Byzantine attempt to conquer Sicily, which was occupied by the Saracens. Between 1038 and 1040, William, together with his brothers, fought in Sicily, distinguishing himself in a victory obtained at the feet of Mount Etna. During the siege of Syracuse, led by the Byzantine general Georgios Maniakes, William charged and single-handedly killed the emir of the city, gaining himself his nickname, "Iron Arm".
After the siege of Syracuse, due to unpaid wages and an unfair division of loot, the Norman forces were dissatisfied with Maniakes. They sent forward their leader, Arduin, to give a voice to their reasons. Maniakes, however, humiliated Arduin, and both the Normans and Lombards immediately left the Byzantine expedition (which was already weakened by internal discord) and returned to Guaimar IV.
In 1040 a Lombard rebellion in Apulia, led by the nobleman Argyrus, started. Arduin, being a Lombard himself, travelled to Aversa and asked for help from his former Norman soldiers, among whom there was obviously William. In exchange, he would have given them control of Melfi, and from there Normans and Lombards would have chased off the Byzantines and would have divided Apulia between themselves. The Norman forces were essential in obtaining two victories: one at Montemaggiore, on May 4, 1041, and the other at Montepeloso, on September 3 of the same year.
During the rebellion, due to corruption and distrust, the Lombard and Norman forces struggled to maintain a leader. Arduin was refused as a figurehead by the Apulian Lombards, and his successive successors, Atenulf of Benevento and then Argyrus, were both subjects of bribery by the Byzantines.
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