Geoffroy of Hauteville, count of Loritello

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_of_Hauteville

Geoffrey of Hauteville (also Gottfried, Godfrey, Goffredo, or Gaufrido ; about 1020-1071) was a Norman military leader, the second youngest son of Tancred of Hauteville by his first wife Muriella. He joined his brothers in the Mezzogiorno around 1053, arriving with his half-brothers Mauger and William. He was certainly present at the Battle of Civitate in that year.

In that year, Humphrey, his brother the count of Apulia, gave Mauger and William the Capitanate and the Principate, respectively, with the title of count. When Mauger died later that decade (in 1054, according to Goffredo Malaterra), the county passed to William, who gave it to Geoffrey. In 1059, his brother Robert Guiscard, Humphrey's successor over Geoffrey, who was older, but had not been in the south as long, helped him quell a revolt in the Capitanate. He also ruled the region around Loritello, where his son Robert was invested as count, and he expanded his domains into those of the pope, conquering Gissi in the Abruzzi. His death is a matter of confusion. The Breve Chronicon Northmannicum states, on the authority of Goffredo Malaterra, that he died in 1063, but the chronicler apparently confused the many Geoffreys of the period. He probably died circa 1071.

He had been married in Normandy and he had three sons from that union: the aforementioned Robert; Ralph, who inherited Catanzaro; and William, who inherited Tiriolo. In the Mezzogiorno, he married, like his eldest brother William Iron Arm, a niece of the Prince Guaimar IV of Salerno, Theodora of Capaccio, daughter of Pandulf, lord of Capaccio, Guaimar's brother. From this second marriage was born at least one son, named Tancred, who was alive in 1103 and 1104. He also had a son, of unknown parentage, named Drogo or Tasso[1].

It seems that Ralph participated in the Battle of Hastings (1066) and obtained thereby a fief in Wiltshire before 1086 (the time of the Domesday Book), thus founding the English branch of his illustrious family.

-http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SICILY.htm#GodefroiHautevilledied1063A
3. GODEFROI de Hauteville (-1063). .. ... ....- CONTI di LORITELLO. :

GODEFROI de Hauteville, son of TANCRED de Hauteville & his first wife Moriella --- ([1015/20]-Apr 1063). Malaterra names "Gaufredum" as fourth son of Tancred & his first (unnamed) wife[121]. According to Orderic Vitalis, Tancred d'Hauteville "passed on his whole inheritance to his son Goisfredus [Geoffrey/Godefroi]", advising the others "to seek their living by their strength and wits outside their native land[122]. This suggests that Godefroi was the oldest son. As explained in the document SICILY, COUNTS & KINGS, the career path of his brother Serlon suggests that there may have been a last minute change of plan which resulted in Godefroi being chosen to inherit their father's lands. For this reason, it is more likely that Godefroi was his father's second son. Amatus records that the brothers "Mauger, Geoffrey, William and Roger" arrived in Apulia from Normandy[123], dated from the context to [1054/57]. Malaterra records that the Capitanata had been held by "Gaufridum fratrem suum" before it was granted to Mauger[124]. The Chronicon Breve Normannicum records that "Gaufredus comes" was awarded "Neritonum et Litium" after "Humphredus" defeated "Græcis circa Oriam" in 1055[125]. Conte di Loritello. The Chronicon Casauriense records that the monastery was "made subject to Count Robert of Loritello and after his death to Hugh Mamouzet" ("Roberto primo comiti de Rotello et post mortem eius Ugonis Malmazetto"), dated to 1064[126]. It is suggested that "Count Robert" is an error in this text for "Count Godefroi". Robert, son of Count Godefroi, would probably have been too young to have been concerned at the time, and in addition it is clear that he lived in the early years of the 12th century. No other "Count Robert of Loritello" has been identified. The Chronicon Breve Normannicum records the death in Apr 1063 of "Gauffredus comes" and that "Goffridus filius eius" captured Taranto and "Castru Motule"[127].

m firstly ---. The name of Godefroi's first wife is not known.

m secondly THEODORA, daughter of PANDOLF di Salerno & his wife Theodora di Tusculanum. Her parentage and marriage are confirmed by a charter dated 1103 which records that "Grégoire fils de Pandulf fils du prince Gaimar" agreed a division with Cava abbey, acting with the consent of "son neveu Tancrède fils de Geoffroy de Hauteville et de Theodora sœur de Grégoire"[128]. A charter dated 1104 records that "Grégoire fils de Pandulf fils du prince Gaimar" agreed a division with Cava abbey, acting with the consent of "son neveu Tancrède fils de Theodora"[129].

  Godefroi & his first wife had [six] children: