Bohemond I of Antioch

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohemond_I_of_Antioch

Bohemond I of Antioch (c. 1054 – 3 March 1111), also known as Bohemond of Taranto, was the Prince of Taranto from 1089 to 1111 and the Prince of Antioch from 1098 to 1111.[1] He was a leader of the First Crusade, leading a contingent of Normans on the quest eastward. Knowledgable about the Byzantine Empire through earlier campaigns with his father, he was the most experienced military leader of the crusade.

1. Early life
2. First Crusade
3. Wars between Antioch and the Byzantine Empire

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• https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/boemondo-i-d-altavilla-princip...
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/4103/bohemond-of_hauteville
• http://distractingfromthenow.blogspot.com/2008/06/bohemond-of-taran...

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• http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/ANTIOCH.htm#BohemondI

MARCO [Bohemond] of Apulia, son of ROBERT "Guiscard/the Weasel" Duke of Apulia & his first wife Alberada di Buonalberga (1052-Canosa di Puglia, Apulia 6/7 Mar 1111, bur Cathedral of Canosa di Puglia). The Annals of Romoald name "Boamundum" as the son of Robert "Guiscard" and his first wife[6]. The Lignages d'Outremer name "Beymont" as son of "Robert Guichart qui conquest Puille", stating that he was "prince de Tarente" before he was granted Antioch[7]. William of Tyre records "Boamundus" as son of Robert Guiscard in 1097[8]. He inherited the large size and height of his father[9]. His father gave him command of the campaign against Byzantine Illyria in 1081. He captured Valona, was defeated in a naval battle by the Venetians allied with Byzantium, but then laid siege to Durazzo. During his father's temporary absence attacking Rome, Bohémond lost most of the conquered territory. After his father died in 1085, Bohémond fought his half-brother Roger, whom his father had designated as sole heir in Apulia. Moving southwards from his castle at Tarento, he captured Oria and Otranto, and was able to force peace in return for the grant, not only of Oria and Otranto, but also of Gallipoli, Tarento and Brindisi together with the region between Conversano and Brindisi, with the title Prince of Tarento. In 1090, Bohémond annexed Bari, but was faced with rebellion by the Count of Conversano and the Lord of Montescaglioso. As one of the leaders of the First Crusade, he acceptance to swear allegiance to Emperor Alexios I Komnenos in Apr 1097, agreeing that the emperor should become overlord of any new principalities founded by the crusaders and that any land captured which had previously belonged to the empire should be handed back to Byzantium[10]. Albert of Aix records that "Boemundus" swore allegiance to the emperor and agreed not to conquer any territory within the empire without the emperor’s consent[11]. Bohémond played a decisive role in the capture of Antioch 28 Jun 1098, after a siege lasting eight months[12]. Bar Hebræus records that "les Francs" invaded Syria in A. H. 491 (1097/98), captured Antioch from "Yaghi-Sian" in "le mois de djomada premier" (Apr/May 1098) after a nine month siege, and slaughtered the Muslims[13]. The leaders of the crusade disagreed about which of them should control Antioch. After Raymond "de Saint-Gilles" Comte de Toulouse finally marched south to continue the crusade in Jan 1099[14], Bohémond remained in possession of Antioch. He declared himself BOHEMOND I Prince of Antioch in defiance of his oath of allegiance to the emperor. He was confirmed as Prince of Antioch in Jerusalem at Christmas 1099 by Daibert, newly elected Patriarch of Jerusalem[15], although with doubtful authority as John of Oxeia had been appointed Patriarch of Antioch. Bohémond enlarged his principality by taking Edessa, but he was captured by the Danishmend Emir Malik Ghazi in 1100 while defending his new acquisition against the Turks[16]. Albert of Aix records that "Gaveras Armenici ducis principis et domini…Malatinam" requested help against "Donimannus quidam princeps Turcorum" from Bohémond Prince of Antioch who was captured with "eiusque propinquo Richardo" and taken to Nixandria, dated to 1100 from the context[17]. Vardan's History records that "Danishman lord of Sebastia, whom they say was of Armenian nationality, came against Melitene" in 1100 and captured "Pemond and Rajard who were at Edessa [and] who came against him"[18]. During his captivity he is said to have had an affair with either the Emir's daughter or one of his wives: Orderic Vitalis recounts how "Melaz, daughter of the Danishmend" helped Prince Bohémond I during his captivity, returned with him to Antioch, was baptised and married his nephew Roger[19], but the story does not appear to be corroborated elsewhere. He negotiated his release in 1103 for a payment of a ransom of 100, 000 besants, and returned to Antioch where he resumed his position in place of his nephew Tancred who had been installed as regent in his absence[20]. Together with Joscelin de Courtenay, he captured Muslimiye in Summer 1103 and Basarfut in Mar 1104, both in the territory of the emirate of Aleppo[21]. In Summer 1104, the Byzantines recaptured Tarsus, Adana and Mamistra[22]. Faced with these attacks from both the Turks and Byzantium, both of whose interests were threatened by the establishment of the new principality of Antioch on their borders, Bohémond appointed his nephew Tancred as regent in Antioch and returned to Europe for reinforcements in 1104, with a view particularly of attacking Emperor Alexios I[23]. Albert of Aix records the return of "Boemundo" to "Italiam sed et Galliam" to request reinforcements "adversus Alexium regem Græcorum", while Tancred returned to Antioch "vice avunculi sui", dated to 1105 from the context[24]. Albert of Aix records that "Boemundus" returned with reinforcements and arrived at "Valonam", dated to [1107] from the context, besieged Durazzo in the Spring and defeated the emperor [presumably referring to Emperor Alexios I] who marched there to relieve the city, a subsequent passage stating that the siege lasted one year and that "Wido filius sororis Boemundi, Willelmus Claret et ceteri" tried to persuade Bohémond to lift the siege before the latter left and returned to Apulia[25]. With English, French and Papal support, he marched on Byzantium but was defeated at Avlona near Durazzo in Oct 1107. Emperor Alexios confirmed Bohémond as Prince of Antioch, but obliged him to accept Byzantine suzerainty under the Treaty of Devol in 1108[26]. Bohémond lived the remaining years of his life in Apulia. Albert of Aix records that "Boemundus avunculus Tancredi" died at Bari and was buried "Beati Nicolai" at the time Emperor Heinrich V was attacking Rome[27].

m (Chartres [25 Mar/26 May] 1106) as her second husband, CONSTANCE de France, divorced wife of HUGUES de Blois Comte de Troyes, daughter of PHILIPPE I King of France & his first wife Bertha of Holland ([1078]-14 Sep 1126[28]). William of Tyre names her, and her father, when he records her marriage[29]. Orderic Vitalis records that King Philippe married “Constantiam...filiam suam” firstly to “Hugonis Trecassino comiti” and secondly to “duci Antiochiæ Buamundo apud Carnotum”[30]. Suger's Vita Ludovici records the marriage of "Antiochenum principem Boamundum" and "domini Ludovici…sororem Constantiam" at Chartres, mentioning her previous marriage to "comitem Trecensem Hugonem"[31]. The Lignages d'Outremer name "Costance la fille le roy de Franche" as wife of "Beymont" son of "Robert Guichart qui conquest Puille"[32]. Constance's second marriage was arranged by Adela Ctss de Blois while Prince Bohémond was in France canvassing support against Byzantium. After her marriage, she remained with her husband in Apulia and never visited Palestine[33]. She was regent for her son in Italy after the death of her husband[34]. She claimed the title "Queen" as daughter of the king of France. The Romoaldi Annales record that "regina Constancia" was captured by "comite Alexandro et Grimoaldo Barense in Umenatia civitate" and taken to Bari in Aug, dated to 1119[35]. The Annales Ceccanenses record that "reginam Boamundi" was freed from Bari in 1120, after the intercession of Pope Calixtus II[36].

Prince Bohémond & his wife had two sons:

Bohemond and his Frankish troops scale the walls at the Siege of Antioch.

Bohemond I, also spelled Bohemund or Boamund, (c. 1058 – 3 March 1111), Prince of Taranto and Prince of Antioch,[1] was one of the leaders of the First Crusade. The Crusade had no outright military leader, but instead was ruled by a committee of nobles. Bohemond was one of the most important of these leaders.[2]

Bohemond I (also spelled Bohemund or Boamund; c. 1058–3 March 1111), Prince of Taranto and Prince of Antioch, was one of the leaders of the First Crusade as he led the whole Crusader army until the conquest of Antioch.

Bohemond was born in San Marco Argentano, Calabria, as the eldest son of the Norman nobleman Robert Guiscard, Duke of Apulia and Calabria, and his first wife Alberada of Buonalbergo. He was christened "Mark" at his baptism, but was nicknamed Bohemond (after the legendary giant Buamundus gigas), by his father due to his size as an infant.

The Norman monarchy he founded in Antioch survived those in both England and Sicily.

BIOGRAPHY: Prince of Taranto, Duke of Calabria. A leader of the 1st Crusade in 1098

History: Antioch, history of

The ancient city of Antioch was much larger than its modern counterpart. It was the capital of both the Seleucid dynasty in Syria and a province within the Roman Empire. The city was founded in 301 BC by Seleucus I , one of the generals and successors of Alexander the Great . Strategically located at the crossroads of important caravan routes, it soon became a center of commerce and a city of magnificent architecture rivaled only by Rome and Alexandria. When Syria was conquered by Rome in 64 BC, Antioch became the eastern capital of the Roman Empire. The Romans added to the architectural splendors of the city, building temples, palaces, and theaters, extending aqueducts, and paving main streets with marble.

Antioch was the center of Christendom outside Palestine. The apostles preached there before starting out on their missionary journeys, and in Antioch the term Christian, designating converts of Saint Paul, first came into use. In AD 260 the city fell to the Persians. Over the next 13 centuries it was conquered by Arabs, Byzantines, Seljuk Turks, Frankish Crusaders, and Egyptians. The devastations of war and persistent earthquakes, including one in 526 that reportedly killed 250,000 people, reduced the once great city to relative unimportance.

Antioch, known as Antakya in modern history, was captured by the Turks in 1516, and it remained a part of the Ottoman Empire until shortly after World War I (1914-1918), when it was granted to Syria under a French mandate. The province of Hatay, of which Antakya is the capital, became autonomous in 1938, and the following year it was ceded to Turkey.

Although little of the ancient city remains, portions of the high walls that girded the city and of catacombs and aqueducts still stand. An archaeological museum houses a superbly preserved collection of mosaics dating from the 2nd and 3rd centuries. Nearby is Saint Peter's Grotto, in which the apostle preached; a church was built within the grotto by Crusaders in the 12th and 13th centuries

Personnages des Croisades: Premième Croisade - 1096-1099

[http://www.templiers.net/personnages-croisades/index.php?page=perso...]