Sergius IV of Naples
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Sergius IV (died after 1036) was
Mezzogiorno in the first half of the eleventh century. He was nominally a Byzantine vassal, like his father, John IV
, before him.
In 1024, he submitted to
catapan of Italy, negotiated a surrender and gave Pandulf V safe conduct to Naples, where Sergius offered him asylum. By this, Sergius incurred Pandulf IV's enmity. In the next year (1027), after Sergius' ally Boioannes was recalled, Pandulf attacked Naples and quickly captured it, some say by treachery. Pandulf V fled to Rome
and Sergius went into hiding.
For Sergius, however, fortune reversed itself when Pandulf IV was abandoned by his Norman ally,
Duke of Gaeta, his nephew, John V, sent an embassy to the Norman to ask his assistance in regaining the Neapolitan duchy. With Rainulf's help, Pandulf IV 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 also gave his sister in marriage to the new count.
In 1034, Pandulf IV instigated a revolt in
Castello del'Ovo now stands. He was succeeded by his son, John V. When John went to Constantinople seeking aid from the Byzantines, Sergius briefly came out of retirement to act as regent. On John's return, Sergius returned to his monastery, where he was still living as late as June 1036. He probably died shortly thereafter. His two retirements explain Amatus of Montecassino
's reference to him twice becoming a monk.
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. Paris.
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