Battle of Nocera

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Map showing the location of the Battle of Nocera.

The Battle of Nocera or Scafati was the first major battle of Roger II of Sicily and one of two of his major defeats (the other being the Battle of Rignano) at the hands of Count Ranulf of Alife.

In 1132, the disaffected Ranulf had garnered a large force with his ally, the prince of Capua, Robert II. The rebels massed outside of Benevento and that city, usually faithful to Roger, gave in. Roger, in shock, wheeled his army around and turned instead for Nocera, the greatest fortified city of the prince of Capua, other than Capua itself. The retreat over the Apennines was miraculously quick, but the rebels moved equally speedily to meet the royal army at Nocera, but Roger destroyed the sole bridge spanning the river Sarno. The rebels, with rapidity equally miraculous, constructed a temporary bridge and moved in on the Noceran siege.

Roger had relieved his siege at the coming of the rebel army and Ranulf had sent 250 knights ahead to the city walls to divert a fraction of the royal troops. Robert of Capua headed up the left division, Ranulf the right, divided into three vans. On 24 July, a Sunday, Roger initiated the engagement, charging the prince's knights. The royal troops proved victorious and the Capuan infantry retreated over the makeshift bridge, which collapsed. Roger ordered a second charge, initially just as successful, but Ranulf then joined the fray with 500 of the men from his centre. He hit Roger's flank and the royalists began to waiver. Before reinforcements could be sent to help them, Ranulf had sent in his right and then his left and the royal troops crumbled. Roger himself tried to inspire them, but they were already in retreat and Roger and four knights made off for Salerno. The rebel victory was absolute.

Seven hundred knights were captured and twenty four loyalist barons. The booty was immense, according to both rebel-sympathising chroniclers, like Falco of Benevento, and royalists, like Henry, Bishop of Saint Agatha. Among the booty was the bull of Antipope Anacletus II granting Roger the royal title. The battle was of little longterm importance, however, because the Pope Innocent II and Emperor Lothair II did not continue past Rome and so the rebels, without further assistance, lost many of their gains and were forced to surrender in the next year.