Gisulf II (also spelled Gisulph, Latin Gisulphus, and Italian Gisulfo), the last Lombard prince of Salerno (1052-1077), was the eldest son and successor of Guaimar IV and Gemma, daughter of the Capuan count Laidulf. He was hardly a worthy successor to his great father, whose principality had extended over most of the Mezzogiorno, and he appears as a villain and a pirate in the chronicle of Amatus of Montecassino, Ystoire de li Normant. Historian John Julius Norwich (The Normans in the South pg. 201n) speaks "of one unfortunate victim [an Amalfitan] whom Gisulf kept in an icy dungeon, removing first his right eye and then every day one more of his fingers and toes. He [Amatus] adds that the Empress Agnes—who was spending much of ther time in South Italy—personally offered a hundred pounds of gold and one of her own fingers in ransom, but her prayers went unheard." Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... The Lombards (Latin Langobardi, from which the alternative name Longobards found in older English texts), were a Germanic people originally from northern Europe that entered the late Roman Empire. ... Events Births Milarepa Deaths Heads of state Holy See - Leo IX pope (1049-1054) Categories: 1052 ... Events January 26 - Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor visits Pope Gregory VII as a penitent, asking him remove sentence of excommunication Robert Curthose instigates his first insurrection against his father, William the Conqueror Seljuk Turks capture Nicaea Süleyman I of Rüm becomes the leader of the Sultanate of... Guaimar IV (also Waimar, Gaimar, Guaimaro, or Guaimario) (c. ... Capua (modern Santa Maria Capua Vetere) was the chief ancient city of Campania, and one of the most important towns of ancient Italy, situated 25 km (16 mi) north of Neapolis, on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. ... The Mezzogiorno or Southern Italy is the area of Italy south of Rome. ... John Julius Cooper, 2nd Viscount Norwich (born 15 September 1929), known as John Julius Norwich, is a British historian, travel writer and television personality and the son of the Conservative politician and diplomat Duff Cooper, who in 1952 was created Viscount Norwich, and of Lady Diana Cooper, a celebrated beauty... Agnes de Poitou or Empress Agnes (1020-1077) was regent of the Holy Roman Empire from 1056 to 1068. ...

He was made co-prince of his father in 1042 while very young and, only a decade later, his father was assassinated in the harbour of his capital by four brothers, sons of Pandulf V of Capua and inlaws of Guaimar, who had been goaded into the act by the Byzantine partisans of Amalfi. Young Gisulf was taken captive by the assassins, but soon his uncle, Guy, the duke of Sorrento, had garnered a Norman army and was besieging Salerno. Guy took captive the assassins' families and negotiated the freedom of Gisulf. Soon the city had surrendered and Guy and the Normans paid homage to Gisulf, who confirmed their titles and lands. The rocky start to his reign was merely an indication of its character, for Gisulf held a grudge against the Amalfitans who initiated the slaying of his father. He also, for reasons unknown, came to hate the Normans as barbarians and spent his whole reign in opposition to them. Events April 18/April 19 - Emperor Michael V of the Byzantine Empire attempts to remain sole Emperor by sending his adoptive mother and co-ruler Zoe of Byzantium to a monastery. ... Byzantine Empire (Greek: Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίων) is the term conventionally used since the 19th century to describe the Greek-speaking Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered at its capital in Constantinople. ... The Amalfi coast. ... Sorrento is the name of many cities and towns: Sorrento,_Italy Sorrento,_Florida, United States of America Sorrento, suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Sorrento, suburb of Perth, Western Australia, Australia Sorrento, Hong Kong, the largest residential development on Kowloon Station This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists... The Normans (adapted from the name Northmen or Norsemen) were a mixture of the indigenous people of France and the Viking invaders under the leadership of Hrolf Ganger, who adopted the French name Rollo and swore allegiance to the king of France (Charles the Simple). ...

His enmity with the Normans soon cost him. Robert Guiscard sallied forth from his Calabrian castle at San Marco and captured the Salernitan town of Cosenza and several of its neighbours. Gisulf soon raised the ire of Count Richard I of Aversa and, only by alliance with the despised Almafitans, could he retain his throne. The predations of William, Count of the Principate, a brother of Guiscard, forced him to marry his sister Sichelgaita to Guiscard in return for protection, and eventually his sister Gaitelgrima to Jordan, the son of Richard, recently prince of Capua. In 1071, he and Richard of Capua threw their support behind a rebellion of Abelard of Hauteville and Herman of Hauteville, nephews of Robert Guiscard, and several other minor lords against Robert Guiscard's authority in Apulia. The rising accomplished little but to further iritate his powerful brother-in-law. Robert Guiscard (i. ... Calabria, formerly Brutium, is a region in southern Italy which occupies the toe of the Italian peninsula south of Naples. ... Cosenza is a town and comune in the Calabria region of southern Italy, 39°18N 16°14E, on the Crati River at 238 m (781 ft) above sea-level. ... Sikelgaita (1040-April 16, 1090) was a Lombard princess, the second wife of Robert Guiscard. ... Events Byzantine Empire loses Battle of Manzikert to Turkish army under Alp Arslan. ... Apulia (official Italian name: Puglia) is a region in southeastern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Otranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. ...

In his latter years, his fleets turned to piracy, especially against Amalfi and even Pisa. The latter's merchants, when called on to serve the Pope Gregory VII on behalf of the Marchioness Matilda of Tuscany, caused such a stir with Gisulf that the latter was sent to Rome by the pope and the army—assembled to march on Robert Guiscard's domain—dispersed. Having alienated his papal ally, he was more isolated then ever when, in the summer of 1076, his city was besieged by Richard of Capua and Robert of Apulia. Though he had wisely ordered his citizens to store up two years worth of food, he confiscated enough of it to continue his life of luxury that the citizenry was soon starving. On 13 December, the city submitted and the prince and his men retreated to the citadel, which fell in May of the next year. Gisulf's lands were taken, his relics were taken, and went, free, to Capua, where he tried to incite Richard to war with Robert, but to no effect. He went on to Rome and there he faded out of view. The Flag of 18th Century pirate Calico Jack Piracy is robbery committed at sea, or sometimes the shore, by an agent without a commission from a sovereign nation. ... Pisa is a city in Tuscany, central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. ... Saint Gregory VII, né Hildebrand (c. ... Matilda of Tuscany from (1115) Matilda, countess of Tuscany (1046 – July 24, 1115), was the principal Italian supporter of Pope Gregory VII during the investiture controversy, and is one of the few medieval women to be remembered for her military accomplishments. ... City motto: Senatus Populusque Romanus – SPQR (The Senate and the People of Rome) Founded 21 April 753 BC mythical, 1st millennium BC Region Latium Mayor Walter Veltroni (Left-Wing Democrats) Area  - City Proper  1285 km² Population  - City (2004)  - Metropolitan  - Density (city proper) 2. ... Events All year - People fucked each other ALOT! February 14 - Pope Gregory VII excommunicates Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor. ... December 13 is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Sources

• William of Apulia. The Deeds of Robert Guiscard Book Three (pdf)
• Norwich, John Julius. The Normans in the South 1016-1130. Longmans: London, 1967.
• Caravale, Mario (ed). Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani. Rome, 2003.