| Byzantine–Norman Wars | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Byzantine Empire, Venice, Holy Roman Empire |
 Norman Kingdom of Sicily |
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| Commanders | |||||||
| Alexius I Comnenus, John II Comnenus Manuel I Comnenus Andronicus Comnenus Isaac II Angelus |
Robert Guiscard, Bohemond, George of Antioch, William II |
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A number of wars between the Normans and the Byzantine Empire were fought from c. 1050 until 1185 when the last Norman invasion of Byzantine territory was defeated. At the end of the conflict neither the Normans nor the Byzantines could boast much power; by the mid-13th century exhaustive fighting with other powers had undermined the rule of both with the Turks conquering Asia Minor from the Byzantines later in the 14th century. The Normans meanwhile had lost Sicily earlier on to the Hohenstaufen who in turn were succeded by the Angevins and finally the Aragonese.
Contents |
Conquest of Southern Italy (c.1050–1071)
The Normans had come from the French Duchy of Normandy, which had been granted to some Vikings to settle by the French king Charles the Simple. The Normans and their new land took the name of these "Northmen". During the time that the Normans had conquered southern Italy the Byzantine Empire was in a state of internal decay; the administration of the Empire had been wrecked, the efficient government institutions that provided Basil II with a quarter of a million troops and adequate resources by taxation had collapsed within a period of three decades. Attempts by Isaac I Comnenus and Romanus Diogenes to reverse the situation proved unfruitful. The premature death of the former and the undeserving overthrow of the latter led to further collapse as the Normans consolidated their conquest of Sicily and Italy.
Conquest of the Balkans (1081–1085)
Following their successful conquest of southern Italy, the Normans saw no reason to stop; Byzantium was decaying further still and looked ripe for conquest. When Alexius I Comnenus ascended to the throne of Byzantium, his early emergency reforms, such as requisitioning Church money - a previously unthinkable move - proved too little to stop the Normans. The death of Robert Guiscard in 1085 combined with a Byzantine victory and crucial Venetian aid allowed the Byzantines to retake the Balkans.
Rebellion of Antioch (1104–1140)
Following the First Crusade, a large number of Normans naturally joined in what appeared to be a great expedition into the unknown where land and loot was plentiful. During this time the Byzantines were able to some extent utilize the aggressive Normans to defeat the Seljuk Turks in numerous battles and many cities fell. However when Antioch fell the Normans refused to hand it over although in time Byzantine domination was established. With the death of John Comnenus the Norman Principality of Antioch rebelled once again, attacking Cyprus and invading Cilicia, which also rebelled. The quick and energetic response of Manuel Comnenus allowed the Byzantines to extract an even more favorable modus vivendi with Antioch (in 1145 being forced to provide Byzantium with a contingent of troops and allow a Byzantine garrison in the city). However, the city was given guarantees of protection against Turkic attack and Nur ad-Din abstained from attacking the northern parts of the Crusader states as a result.
Second Norman invasion of the Balkans (1184–1185)
Although the last invasions and last large scale conflict between the two powers lasted less than two years, the second Norman invasions came closer still to taking Constantinople. The incompetent rule of Andronicus Comnenus allowed the Normans to go unchecked towards the Byzantine capital giving Thessalonica a savage sack (a grim portent of what Constantinople would face in 20 years time). The resulting panic however allowed Isaac Angelus to take the throne and, after defeating the confident opponent, push the invaders back to Sicily
Aftermath
With the Normans unable to take the Balkans they turned their attention to European affairs. The Byzantines meanwhile had not possessed the will or the resources for any Italian invasion since the days of Manuel Comnenus. After the second invasion, the survival of the Empire became more important to the Byzantines than a mere province on the other side of the Adriatic Sea. The Norman dynasty was wiped out in 1194 with the Hohenstaufens taking control before being evicted by the Angevins. In time the Angevins would be overthrown by the Sicilian Greeks and thus the rule of the Island returned to the natives and the circle complete.
Sources
- Primary
- Anna Comnena, translated by E.R.A Sewter (1969). The Alexiad. London: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-044215-4.
- Secondary
- Christopher Gravett and David Nicolle, (2006). The Normans: Warrior Knights and their Castles. Oxford: Osprey. ISBN 1-84603-088-9.
- John Haldon, (2000). The Byzantine Wars. The Mill: Tempest. ISBN 0-7524-1795-9.
- Richard Holmes, (1988). The World Atlas of Warfare: Military Innovations That Changed the Course of History. Middlesex: Penguin. ISBN 0-670-81967-0.
- John Julius Norwich, (1995). Byzantium: The Decline and Fall. London: Viking. ISBN 0-670-82377-5.