Amatus of Montecassino (Amatus Casinensis), a Benedictine monk at the Abbey of Montecassino is one of three Italo-Norman chroniclers, the others being William of Apulia and Goffredo Malaterra. His History of the Normans (L'Ystoire de li Normant), in eight books written ca 1080, is a prime source for retrieving the history of the Normans in the Mediterranean, as seen from the perspective of the great Abbey, which was one of the most important cultural and religious centers of 11th-century Christendom. Amatus describes the Norman sieges of Bari and Salerno, the conquest of Sicily, and the career of Robert Guiscard, as well as the Gregorian Reforms seen from the papal point-of-view, interspersed with reports of miracles and prophecies. A Benedictine is a person who follows the Rule of St Benedict. ... The restored Abbey Monte Cassino is a rocky hill about eighty miles (130 km) south of Rome, Italy, a mile to the west of the town of Cassino (the Roman Cassinum having been on the hill) and about 1700 ft (520 m) altitude. ... Generally a chronicle (Latin chronica) is historical account of facts and events in chronological order. ... Region Apulia Mayor Michele Emiliano Area  116 km² Population  - City (2004)  - Density 316. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Robert Guiscard (i. ... Gregorian Reform is generally considered named after Pope Gregory VII(1073-1085), who personally denied this, and claimed it was named after Gregory the Great. ...

Many details of 11th-century history, such as the arrow in the eye that killed Harold at the battle of Hastings, owe their origin to the chronicler of Montecassino. Combatants Normans Anglo-Saxon English Commanders William of Normandy, Odo of Bayeux Harold Godwinson† Strength 7,000-8,000 7,000-8,000 Casualties Unknown, thought to be around 2,000 killed and wounded Unknown, but significantly more than the Normans {{{notes}}} The Battle of Hastings was the most decisive...

The historical novel by Gabriella Brooke, The Words of Bernfrieda: A Chronicle of Hauteville (Cheney: Eastern Washington University Press, 1999) tells of the lady Fredesenda of Hauteville, mother of Robert Guiscard, as seen by her handmaid, who has met Amatus and intends to record "all that Amatus' chronicle will leave out". Robert Guiscard (i. ...

References

• (Prescott N. Dunbar, translator), 2004. The History of the Normans by Amatus of Montecassino (Boydell) ISBN 1843830787
• John Howe, 2006. "Amatus of Montecassino: The History of the Normans" English Historical Review CXXI: 268-269.