Robert Crispin
Robert Crispin (French: Crépin, died 1072), called Frankopoulos, was a Norman mercenary who fought in the Reconquista and the Byzantine Empire.
Early life
Robert was the son of Gilbert Crispin. He had two older brothers, Gilbert, lord of Tilliers,[1] and William, who became lord in Neaufles (Neaufles-Saint-Martin or Neaufles-Auvergny),[2] as well as two sisters, Emma and Esilia.[1] As the youngest son without an inheritance he left Normandy and seems to have gone to Southern Italy which was being conquered by fellow Normans under the Hauteville family.[1] In 1064, he participated in a military expedition to Barbastro, which has been called sometimes a proto-crusade, where he played a major role and might have been the leader of the Norman contingent.[3]
Service in the Byzantine Empire
Robert then returned to Southern Italy and entered the services of the
References
- ^ a b c Ferreiro 1983, p. 137.
- ^ Wierzbiński 2006, p. 285
- ^ Ferreiro 1983, p. 138.
- ^ Ferreiro 1983, p. 138.
- ^ Kaldellis 2017, p. 243.
- ^ Prosopography of the Byzantine World, Robert Crepin, Norman mercenary
- ^ Gravett & Nicolle 2006, p. 61.
- ^ Ferreiro 1983, p. 137.
- ^ Prosopography of the Byzantine World, Robert Crepin, Norman mercenary
Sources
- Ferreiro, Alberto (June 1983). "The siege of Barbastro 1064–65: A Reassessment". Journal of Medieval History. 9 (2): 129–144.
- Gravett, Christopher; Nicolle, David (2006). The Normans: Warrior Knights and their Castles. Oxford, United Kingdom: Osprey Publishing Limited. ISBN 1-84603-218-0.
- Kaldellis, Anthony (2017). Streams of Gold, Rivers of Blood: The Rise and Fall of Byzantium, 955 A.D. to the First Crusade. USA: Oxford University Press. ISBN 019025324X.
- Wierzbiński, Szymon (2006). "Normans and Other Franks in 11th Century Byzantium: the Careers of the Adventurers before the Rule of Alexius I Comnenus". Studia Ceranea. 4, 2014. Łódź, Poland: University of Łódź, Poland: 277–288. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
- "Robert Crepin, Norman mercenary". Prosopography of the Byzantine World. King's Digital Lab. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
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