Sergius IV of Naples

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Sergius IV (died c. 1036) was duke of Naples from 1002 to 1036. He was one of the prime catalysts in the growth of Norman power in the Mezzogiorno in the first half of the eleventh century. He was nominally a Byzantine vassal, like his father before him.

In 1024, he meekly submitted to Pilgrim, Archbishop of Cologne, when the latter was besieging Capua on behalf of Emperor Henry II. His duchy had not even been threatened. However, by this he garnered a reputation for weakness in the eyes of Prince Pandulf IV of Capua, the Wolf of the Abruzzi, who had been defeated by Pilgrim. In 1026, when Pandulf, returned from captivity, was besieged his old capital with the assistance of the Greek catepan of Italy, Basil Boiannes, it was Sergius who offered to take in Pandulf V, the count of Teano, who was ruling as the Wolf's replacement. Boiannes negotiated a surrender and the deposed Pandulf of Teano was given safe conduct to Naples. By this, Sergius incurred the enmity of the fearsome and ferocious Wolf of the Abruzzi and, in the next year (1027), the Wolf got a sudden opportunity: Sergius' ally Boiannes was recalled and the duke was left alone in Italy without a friend. Pandulf swooped down on Naples and took it, by treachery, in a stroke. The count fled to Rome and the duke went into hiding.

For Sergius, however, fortune reversed itself when Pandulf was abandoned by his Norman ally, Rainulf Drengot in 1029. Sergius and the duke of Gaeta, John V, sent an embassy to the Norman to ask his assistance in regaining the Neapolitan duchy. In that year, Pandulf was chased from Naples and Sergius reinstated. Early in 1030, Sergius gave Rainulf the county of Aversa as a fief, the first Norman principality in the region. Sergius gave his sister in marriage to the new count.

In 1034, Pandulf instigated a revolt in Sorrento and made it subject to Capua. In the same year, Sergius' sister died and Rainulf returned to Pandulf's side. The duke of Naples, disloyally abandoned by his greatest beneficiary and benefactor, retired to a monastery, broken in spirit. He died soon afterwards. He was succeeded by his son John V.

[edit] References

Norwich, John Julius (1967). The Normans in the South 1016-1130. London: Longmans.
Chalandon, Ferdinand (1907). Histoire de la domination normande en Italie et en Sicilie.