Roger IV, Duke of Apulia

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Roger IV (1152–1161) was the eldest son of William I of Sicily and Margaret of Navarre. Twice in his short life he was the object of the barons' intent to replace his father as king. When he was made the duke of Apulia is unknown, probably after his father's assumption of power in 1154.

In 1156, when he was but three year old, the barons opposed to Maio of Bari began to consider removing not only the emir, but also the king, and putting Roger on the throne. While a minor, the barons would be free from royal control, which suited them just fine. In 1161, after the successful assassination of Maio, the rebels paraded the nine year old through the streets, announcing his succession and heralding his coming coronation in the Cathedral of Palermo. For reasons not entirely known, the populace supported the succession of Simon, erstwhile Prince of Taranto, the king's bastard half-brother, instead. The people rebelled against the rebels and the palace was stormed. In the ensuing battle, young Roger was killed, by a wayward arrow to the eye, or, as Falcandus assures us, by the repeated kicking of his father, in a rage at having been betrayed by his son. Falcandus was no friend of William's.

Roger was interned in the cathedral with his brother Henry, Prince of Capua, but afterwards moved to the chapel of Saint Mary Magdalene in Monreale.

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