Margaritus of Brindisi facts for kids
Margaritus of Brindisi (born around 1149 – died 1197) was a famous admiral from the Kingdom of Sicily. People sometimes called him "the new Neptune" because he was so skilled at sea. He was the last great Grand Admiral (ammiratus ammiratorum) of Sicily.
Margaritus led the powerful Sicilian fleets during the reigns of King William II (1166–1189) and King Tancred (1189–1194). He likely started as a Greek pirate and then became a privateer (a private ship owner allowed to attack enemy ships). Eventually, he became a permanent admiral for the navy. In 1185, he was given the important title of count palatine for the islands of Cephalonia and Zakynthos. Later, in 1192, he became the first Count of Malta. He also held other noble titles, like Prince of Taranto and Duke of Durazzo.
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Margaritus first appears in history as a leader of the Sicilian fleet. In 1185, he worked with Tancred, who was then the Count of Lecce. Their fleet captured Cephalonia and the Ionian Islands. They also bothered the fleet of Byzantine Emperor Isaac II Angelos near Cyprus. They captured many of the emperor's ships and brought them back to Sicily.
Defending the Holy Land
In the autumn of 1187, King William II sent Margaritus with his fleet to the Holy Land. This was after Saladin had captured Jerusalem on October 2. Margaritus, with 60 ships and 200 knights, patrolled the coast of Palestine. He stopped Saladin from taking any important seaports belonging to the Latin crusader kingdom.
In July 1188, Margaritus arrived at Tripoli. He forced Saladin to stop his attack on Krak des Chevaliers, a famous castle. Similar events happened at Marqab, Latakia, and Tyre the next year. On November 11, 1189, King William II died, and Margaritus's fleet returned home.
Challenges and Loyalty
On October 4, 1190, Margaritus and other nobles from Messina had to flee. This happened when the English king Richard the Lionheart attacked and burned the city. After this, Margaritus played a smaller role in the Third Crusade.
Margaritus was a strong supporter of King Tancred. Tancred was in a struggle against Henry VI, the King of Germany. Henry had married Constance, who was an aunt to both Tancred and William II. Because of this marriage, Henry claimed the Kingdom of Sicily for himself.
In 1191, Henry besieged Naples. Margaritus came to defend the city. He attacked Henry's navy from Pisa and almost destroyed the ships from Genoa. He also kept the harbor open so supplies could reach Naples.
A Clever Capture
Salerno had surrendered to Henry and invited Constance there. But when Henry had to retreat, the people of Salerno turned against Constance and captured her. It was Margaritus who took Constance to Messina and handed her over to King Tancred. He used a typical bireme galley or dromon ship for this.
For this unexpected success, King Tancred made Margaritus the first Count of Malta in 1192. He also gave him many resources.
The End of a Career
However, the war for the kingdom continued. King Tancred was forced to release Constance that same year. Later, Henry sent a second, even stronger navy to Naples. This fleet was mostly from Pisa and Genoa. It also included fifty galleys from King Richard the Lionheart, who had to promise his support after being released from a German prison.
The fleet landed in Naples Bay on August 25, 1194, and Naples surrendered. Palermo, where Margaritus was defending the castle, surrendered next on November 20. Margaritus and many other important nobles were present at the Christmas coronation of Tancred's young successor, William III.
However, just four days later, they were arrested. They were accused of planning against Henry VI and were sent to Germany. Margaritus was blinded and died there in 1197.
Family Life
Margaritus married Marina, who was the daughter of Roger II of Sicily. Some historians once thought that two of Margaritus's daughters married important rulers, but modern research has shown this is likely not true.
