[Footnote81:TheepistleitselfAlexias,l。iii。p。93,94,95
welldeservestoberead。ThereisoneexpressionwhichDucangedoesnotunderstand。Ihaveendeavoredtogropeoutatolerablemeaning:Thefirstwordisagoldencrown;thesecondisexplainedbySimonPortius,inLexicoGraeco—Barbar。,byaflashoflightning。]
[Footnote82:ForthesegeneraleventsImustrefertothegeneralhistoriansSigonius,Baronius,Muratori,Mosheim,St。
Marc,&c。]
[Footnote83:ThelivesofGregoryVII。areeitherlegendsorinvectives,St。Marc,Abrege,tom。iii。p。235,&c。;andhismiraculousormagicalperformancesarealikeincredibletoamodernreader。Hewill,asusual,findsomeinstructioninLeClerc,ViedeHildebrand,Bibliot,ancienneetmoderne,tom。
viii。,andmuchamusementinBayle,DictionnaireCritique,GregoireVII。Thatpopewasundoubtedlyagreatman,asecondAthanasius,inamorefortunateageofthechurch。MayIpresumetoadd,thattheportraitofAthanasiusisoneofthepassagesofmyhistoryvol。ii。p。332,&c。withwhichIamtheleastdissatisfied?
Note:ThereisafairlifeofGregoryVII。byVoigt,Weimar。1815,whichhasbeentranslatedintoFrench。M。
Villemain,itisunderstood,hasdevotedmuchtimetothestudyofthisremarkablecharacter,towhomhiseloquencemaydojustice。ThereismuchvaluableinformationonthesubjectintheaccurateworkofStenzel,GeschichteDeutschlandsunterdenFrankischenKaisern—theHistoryofGermanyundertheEmperorsoftheFranconianRace。—M。]
[Footnote84:Anna,withtherancorofaGreekschismatic,callshiml。i。p。32,apope,orpriest,worthytobespituponandaccuseshimofscourging,shaving,andperhapsofcastratingtheambassadorsofHenry,p。31,33。Butthisoutrageisimprobableanddoubtful,seethesensibleprefaceofCousin。]
[Footnote85:SicunotemporevictiSuntterraeDominiduo:rexAlemannicusiste,ImperiirectorRomanimaximusille。
Alteradarmaruensarmissuperatur;etalterNominisauditisolaformidinecessit。
Itissingularenough,thattheApulian,aLatin,shoulddistinguishtheGreekastheruleroftheRomanempire,l。iv。
p。274。]
[Footnote86:ThenarrativeofMalaterral。iii。c。37,p。587,588isauthentic,circumstantial,andfair。Duxignemexclamansurbeincensa,&c。TheApuliansoftensthemischief,indequibusdamaedibusexustis,whichisagainexaggeratedinsomepartialchronicles,Muratori,Annali,tom。ix。p。147。]
[Footnote87:Aftermentioningthisdevastation,theJesuitDonatusdeRomaveterietnova,l。iv。c。8,p。489prettilyadds,DurarethodiequeinCoeliomonte,interqueipsumetcapitolium,miserabilisfaciesprostratesurbis,nisiinhortorumvinetorumqueamoenitatemRomaresurrexisset,utperpetuaviriditatecontegeretvulneraetruinassuas。]
ThedelivererandscourgeofRomemighthaveindulgedhimselfinaseasonofrepose;butinthesameyearoftheflightoftheGermanemperor,theindefatigableRobertresumedthedesignofhiseasternconquests。ThezealorgratitudeofGregoryhadpromisedtohisvalorthekingdomsofGreeceandAsia;^88histroopswereassembledinarms,flushedwithsuccess,andeagerforaction。Theirnumbers,inthelanguageofHomer,arecomparedbyAnnatoaswarmofbees;^89yettheutmostandmoderatelimitsofthepowersofGuiscardhavebeenalreadydefined;theywerecontainedonthissecondoccasioninonehundredandtwentyvessels;andastheseasonwasfaradvanced,theharborofBrundusium^90waspreferredtotheopenroadofOtranto。Alexius,apprehensiveofasecondattack,hadassiduouslylaboredtorestorethenavalforcesoftheempire;
andobtainedfromtherepublicofVeniceanimportantsuccorofthirty—sixtransports,fourteengalleys,andninegaliotsorshipsofextra—ordinarystrengthandmagnitude。Theirserviceswereliberallypaidbythelicenseormonopolyoftrade,aprofitablegiftofmanyshopsandhousesintheportofConstantinople,andatributetoSt。Mark,themoreacceptable,asitwastheproduceofataxontheirrivalsatAmalphi。BytheunionoftheGreeksandVenetians,theAdriaticwascoveredwithahostilefleet;buttheirownneglect,orthevigilanceofRobert,thechangeofawind,ortheshelterofamist,openedafreepassage;andtheNormantroopsweresafelydisembarkedonthecoastofEpirus。Withtwentystrongandwell—appointedgalleys,theirintrepiddukeimmediatelysoughttheenemy,andthoughmoreaccustomedtofightonhorseback,hetrustedhisownlife,andthelivesofhisbrotherandtwosons,totheeventofanavalcombat。Thedominionoftheseawasdisputedinthreeengagements,insightoftheIsleofCorfu:inthetwoformer,theskillandnumbersofthealliesweresuperior;butinthethird,theNormansobtainedafinalandcompletevictory。^91ThelightbrigantinesoftheGreekswerescatteredinignominiousflight:theninecastlesoftheVenetiansmaintainedamoreobstinateconflict;sevenweresunk,twoweretaken;twothousandfivehundredcaptivesimploredinvainthemercyofthevictor;
andthedaughterofAlexiusdeploresthelossofthirteenthousandofhissubjectsorallies。ThewantofexperiencehadbeensuppliedbythegeniusofGuiscard;andeachevening,whenhehadsoundedaretreat,hecalmlyexploredthecausesofhisrepulse,andinventednewmethodshowtoremedyhisowndefects,andtobaffletheadvantagesoftheenemy。Thewinterseasonsuspendedhisprogress:withthereturnofspringheagainaspiredtotheconquestofConstantinople;but,insteadoftraversingthehillsofEpirus,heturnedhisarmsagainstGreeceandtheislands,wherethespoilswouldrepaythelabor,andwherethelandandseaforcesmightpursuetheirjointoperationswithvigorandeffect。But,intheIsleofCephalonia,hisprojectswerefatallyblastedbyanepidemicaldisease:Roberthimself,intheseventiethyearofhisage,expiredinhistent;
andasuspicionofpoisonwasimputed,bypublicrumor,tohiswife,ortotheGreekemperor。^92Thisprematuredeathmightallowaboundlessscopefortheimaginationofhisfutureexploits;andtheeventsufficientlydeclares,thattheNormangreatnesswasfoundedonhislife。^93Withouttheappearanceofanenemy,avictoriousarmydispersedorretreatedindisorderandconsternation;andAlexius,whohadtrembledforhisempire,rejoicedinhisdeliverance。ThegalleywhichtransportedtheremainsofGuiscardwasship—wreckedontheItalianshore;buttheduke'sbodywasrecoveredfromthesea,anddepositedinthesepulchreofVenusia,^94aplacemoreillustriousforthebirthofHorace^95thanfortheburialoftheNormanheroes。Roger,hissecondsonandsuccessor,immediatelysunktothehumblestationofadukeofApulia:theesteemorpartialityofhisfatherleftthevaliantBohemondtotheinheritanceofhissword。
Thenationaltranquillitywasdisturbedbyhisclaims,tillthefirstcrusadeagainsttheinfidelsoftheEastopenedamoresplendidfieldofgloryandconquest。^96
[Footnote88:TheroyaltyofRobert,eitherpromisedorbestowedbythepope,Anna,l。i。p。32,issufficientlyconfirmedbytheApulian,l。iv。p。270。
RomaniregnisibipromisissecoronamPapaferebatur。
NorcanIunderstandwhyGretser,andtheotherpapaladvocates,shouldbedispleasedwiththisnewinstanceofapostolicjurisdiction。]
[Footnote89:SeeHomer,Iliad,B。IhatethispedanticmodeofquotationbylettersoftheGreekalphabet87,&c。Hisbeesaretheimageofadisorderlycrowd:theirdisciplineandpublicworksseemtobetheideasofalaterage,Virgil。Aeneid。l。
i。]
[Footnote90:Gulielm。Appulus,l。v。p。276。TheadmirableportofBrundusiumwasdouble;theoutwardharborwasagulfcoveredbyanisland,andnarrowingbydegrees,tillitcommunicatedbyasmallgulletwiththeinnerharbor,whichembracedthecityonbothsides。Caesarandnaturehavelaboredforitsruin;andagainstsuchagentswhatarethefeebleeffortsoftheNeapolitangovernment?Swinburne'sTravelsintheTwoSicilies,vol。i。p。384—390。]
[Footnote91:WilliamofApulial。v。p。276describesthevictoryoftheNormans,andforgetsthetwopreviousdefeats,whicharediligentlyrecordedbyAnnaComnena,l。vi。p。159,160,161。Inherturn,sheinventsormagnifiesafourthaction,togivetheVenetiansrevengeandrewards。Theirownfeelingswerefardifferent,sincetheydeposedtheirdoge,propterexcidiumstoli,DandulusinChroninMuratori,Script。RerumItalicarum,tom。xii。p。249。]
[Footnote92:Themostauthenticwriters,WilliamofApulia。l。
v。277,JeffreyMalaterra,l。iii。c。41,p。589,andRomualdofSalerno,Chron。inMuratori,Script。RerumItal。tom。vii。,
areignorantofthiscrime,soapparenttoourcountrymenWilliamofMalmsburyl。iii。p。107andRogerdeHoveden,p。710,inScript。postBedamandthelattercantell,howthejustAlexiusmarried,crowned,andburntalive,hisfemaleaccomplice。TheEnglishhistorianisindeedsoblind,thatheranksRobertGuiscard,orWiscard,amongtheknightsofHenryI,whoascendedthethronefifteenyearsafterthedukeofApulia'sdeath。]
[Footnote93:ThejoyfulAnnaComnenascatterssomeflowersoverthegraveofanenemy,Alexiad,l。v。p。162—166;andhisbestpraiseistheesteemandenvyofWilliamtheConqueror,thesovereignofhisfamilyGraeciasaysMalaterrahostibusrecedentibusliberalaetaquievit:ApuliatotasiveCalabriaturbatur。]
[Footnote94:UrbsVenusinanitettantisdecoratasepulchris,isoneofthelastlinesoftheApulian'spoems,l。v。p。278。
WilliamofMalmsburyl。iii。p。107insertsanepitaphonGuiscard,whichisnotworthtranscribing。]
[Footnote95:YetHoracehadfewobligationstoVenusia;hewascarriedtoRomeinhischildhood,Serm。i。6;andhisrepeatedallusionstothedoubtfullimitofApuliaandLucaniaCarm。iii。
4,Serm。ii。Iareunworthyofhisageandgenius。]
[Footnote96:SeeGiannonetom。ii。p。88—93andthehistoriansofthefirecrusade。]
Ofhumanlife,themostgloriousorhumbleprospectsarealikeandsoonboundedbythesepulchre。ThemalelineofRobertGuiscardwasextinguished,bothinApuliaandatAntioch,inthesecondgeneration;buthisyoungerbrotherbecamethefatherofalineofkings;andthesonofthegreatcountwasendowedwiththename,theconquests,andthespirit,ofthefirstRoger。^97
TheheirofthatNormanadventurerwasborninSicily;and,attheageofonlyfouryears,hesucceededtothesovereigntyoftheisland,alotwhichreasonmightenvy,couldsheindulgeforamomentthevisionary,thoughvirtuouswishofdominion。HadRogerbeencontentwithhisfruitfulpatrimony,ahappyandgratefulpeoplemighthaveblessedtheirbenefactor;andifawiseadministrationcouldhaverestoredtheprosperoustimesoftheGreekcolonies,^98theopulenceandpowerofSicilyalonemighthaveequalledthewidestscopethatcouldbeacquiredanddesolatedbytheswordofwar。Buttheambitionofthegreatcountwasignorantofthesenoblepursuits;itwasgratifiedbythevulgarmeansofviolenceandartifice。HesoughttoobtaintheundividedpossessionofPalermo,ofwhichonemoietyhadbeencededtotheelderbranch;struggledtoenlargehisCalabrianlimitsbeyondthemeasureofformertreaties;andimpatientlywatchedthedeclininghealthofhiscousinWilliamofApulia,thegrandsonofRobert。Onthefirstintelligenceofhisprematuredeath,RogersailedfromPalermowithsevengalleys,castanchorintheBayofSalerno,received,aftertendays'negotiation,anoathoffidelityfromtheNormancapital,commandedthesubmissionofthebarons,andextortedalegalinvestiturefromthereluctantpopes,whocouldnotlongendureeitherthefriendshiporenmityofapowerfulvassal。ThesacredspotofBeneventowasrespectfullyspared,asthepatrimonyofSt。Peter;
butthereductionofCapuaandNaplescompletedthedesignofhisuncleGuiscard;andthesoleinheritanceoftheNormanconquestswaspossessedbythevictoriousRoger。Aconscioussuperiorityofpowerandmeritpromptedhimtodisdainthetitlesofdukeandofcount;andtheIsleofSicily,withathirdperhapsofthecontinentofItaly,mightformthebasisofakingdom^99whichwouldonlyyieldtothemonarchiesofFranceandEngland。ThechiefsofthenationwhoattendedhiscoronationatPalermomightdoubtlesspronounceunderwhatnameheshouldreignoverthem;
buttheexampleofaGreektyrantoraSaracenemirwasinsufficienttojustifyhisregalcharacter;andtheninekingsoftheLatinworld^100mightdisclaimtheirnewassociate,unlesshewereconsecratedbytheauthorityofthesupremepontiff。TheprideofAnacletuswaspleasedtoconferatitle,whichtheprideoftheNormanhadstoopedtosolicit;^101buthisownlegitimacywasattackedbytheadverseelectionofInnocenttheSecond;andwhileAnacletussatintheVatican,thesuccessfulfugitivewasacknowledgedbythenationsofEurope。
TheinfantmonarchyofRogerwasshaken,andalmostoverthrown,bytheunluckychoiceofanecclesiasticalpatron;andtheswordofLothairetheSecondofGermany,theexcommunicationsofInnocent,thefleetsofPisa,andthezealofSt。Bernard,wereunitedfortheruinoftheSicilianrobber。Afteragallantresistance,theNormanprincewasdrivenfromthecontinentofItaly:anewdukeofApuliawasinvestedbythepopeandtheemperor,eachofwhomheldoneendofthegonfanon,orflagstaff,asatokenthattheyassertedtheirright,andsuspendedtheirquarrel。Butsuchjealousfriendshipwasofshortandprecariousduration:theGermanarmiessoonvanishedindiseaseanddesertion:^102theApulianduke,withallhisadherents,wasexterminatedbyaconquerorwhoseldomforgaveeitherthedeadortheliving;likehispredecessorLeotheNinth,thefeeblethoughhaughtypontiffbecamethecaptiveandfriendoftheNormans;andtheirreconciliationwascelebratedbytheeloquenceofBernard,whonowreveredthetitleandvirtuesofthekingofSicily。
[Footnote97:ThereignofRoger,andtheNormankingsofSicily,fillsbooksoftheIstoriaCivileofGiannone,tom。ii。l。xi。—
xiv。p。136—340,andisspreadovertheixthandxthvolumesoftheItalianAnnalsofMuratori。IntheBibliothequeItaliquetom。i。p。175—122,IfindausefulabstractofCapacelatro,amodernNeapolitan,whohascomposed,intwovolumes,thehistoryofhiscountryfromRogerFredericII。inclusive。]
[Footnote98:AccordingtothetestimonyofPhilistusandDiodorus,thetyrantDionysiusofSyracusecouldmaintainastandingforceof10,000horse,100,000foot,and400galleys。
CompareHume,Essays,vol。i。p。268,435,andhisadversaryWallace,NumbersofMankind,p。306,307。TheruinsofAgrigentumarethethemeofeverytraveller,D'Orville,Reidesel,Swinburne,&c。]
[Footnote99:AcontemporaryhistorianoftheactsofRogerfromtheyear1127to1135,foundshistitleonmeritandpower,theconsentofthebarons,andtheancientroyaltyofSicilyandPalermo,withoutintroducingPopeAnacletus,Alexand。CoenobiiTelesiniAbbatisdeRebusgestisRegisRogerii,lib。iv。inMuratori,Script。RerumItal。tom。v。p。607—645]
[Footnote100:ThekingsofFrance,England,Scotland,Castille,Arragon,Navarre,Sweden,Denmark,andHungary。ThethreefirstweremoreancientthanCharlemagne;thethreenextwerecreatedbytheirsword;thethreelastbytheirbaptism;andofthesethekingofHungaryalonewashonoredordebasedbyapapalcrown。]
[Footnote101:Fazellus,andacrowdofSicilians,hadimaginedamoreearlyandindependentcoronation,A。D。1130,May1,whichGiannoneunwillinglyrejects,tom。ii。p。137—144。Thisfictionisdisprovedbythesilenceofcontemporaries;norcanitberestoredbyaspuriouscharacterofMessina,Muratori,Annalid'Italia,tom。ix。p。340。Pagi,Critica,tom。iv。p。467,468。]
[Footnote102:RogercorruptedthesecondpersonofLothaire'sarmy,whosounded,orrathercried,aretreat;fortheGermanssaysCinnamus,l。iii。c。i。p。51areignorantoftheuseoftrumpets。Mostignoranthimself!
Note:Cinnamussaysnothingoftheirignorance。—M]
AsapenanceforhisimpiouswaragainstthesuccessorofSt。Peter,thatmonarchmighthavepromisedtodisplaythebannerofthecross,andheaccomplishedwithardoravowsopropitioustohisinterestandrevenge。TherecentinjuriesofSicilymightprovokeajustretaliationontheheadsoftheSaracens:theNormans,whosebloodhadbeenmingledwithsomanysubjectstreams,wereencouragedtorememberandemulatethenavaltrophiesoftheirfathers,andinthematurityoftheirstrengththeycontendedwiththedeclineofanAfricanpower。WhentheFatimitecaliphdepartedfortheconquestofEgypt,herewardedtherealmeritandapparentfidelityofhisservantJosephwithagiftofhisroyalmantle,andfortyArabianhorses,hispalacewithitssumptuousfurniture,andthegovernmentofthekingdomsofTunisandAlgiers。TheZeirides,^103thedescendantsofJoseph,forgottheirallegianceandgratitudetoadistantbenefactor,graspedandabusedthefruitsofprosperity;andafterrunningthelittlecourseofanOrientaldynasty,werenowfaintingintheirownweakness。Onthesideoftheland,theywerepressedbytheAlmohades,thefanaticprincesofMorocco,whilethesea—coastwasopentotheenterprisesoftheGreeksandFranks,who,beforethecloseoftheeleventhcentury,hadextortedaransomoftwohundredthousandpiecesofgold。BythefirstarmsofRoger,theislandorrockofMalta,whichhasbeensinceennobledbyamilitaryandreligiouscolony,wasinseparablyannexedtothecrownofSicily。Tripoli,^104astrongandmaritimecity,wasthenextobjectofhisattack;andtheslaughterofthemales,thecaptivityofthefemales,mightbejustifiedbythefrequentpracticeoftheMoslemsthemselves。
ThecapitaloftheZeirideswasnamedAfricafromthecountry,andMahadia^105fromtheArabianfounder:itisstronglybuiltonaneckofland,buttheimperfectionoftheharborisnotcompensatedbythefertilityoftheadjacentplain。MahadiawasbesiegedbyGeorgetheSicilianadmiral,withafleetofonehundredandfiftygalleys,amplyprovidedwithmenandtheinstrumentsofmischief:thesovereignhadfled,theMoorishgovernorrefusedtocapitulate,declinedthelastandirresistibleassault,andsecretlyescapingwiththeMosleminhabitantsabandonedtheplaceanditstreasurestotherapaciousFranks。Insuccessiveexpeditions,thekingofSicilyorhislieutenantsreducedthecitiesofTunis,Safax,Capsia,Bona,andalongtractofthesea—coast;^106thefortressesweregarrisoned,thecountrywastributary,andaboastthatitheldAfricainsubjectionmightbeinscribedwithsomeflatteryontheswordofRoger。^107Afterhisdeath,thatswordwasbroken;andthesetransmarinepossessionswereneglected,evacuated,orlost,underthetroubledreignofhissuccessor。^108ThetriumphsofScipioandBelisariushaveproved,thattheAfricancontinentisneitherinaccessiblenorinvincible;yetthegreatprincesandpowersofChristendomhaverepeatedlyfailedintheirarmamentsagainsttheMoors,whomaystillgloryintheeasyconquestandlongservitudeofSpain。