All Battles 
Emperors 
Expedition to Apulia |
year: 1155 |
| An initially victorious Byzantine campaign against Normans in South Italy | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ |
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enemy: Normans
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location: In Puglia, in the South of the Italian peninsula
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accuracy:
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battle type: Expedition |
war: Norman Conquest of Southern Italy |
modern country:
Italy |
| ▼ The Byzantines(emperor: Manuel I Komnenos) | ▼ The Enemies | |
| Commander: | Michael Palaiologos | King William I |
| Forces: | Unknown | 2,000 knights+other forces |
| Losses: |
| Background story: |
| In 1147 Emperor Manuel I Komnenos was faced with war by Roger II of Sicily, whose fleet had captured the island of Corfu and plundered Thebes and Corinth. Manuel recovered the lands in 1049 but the Normans remained a threat. The death of Roger in February 1154 (who was succeeded by William I the Bad), encouraged Manuel to take advantage of the multiple instabilities that existed in the Italian peninsula. |
The Battle: |
 Roger II, king of Sicily The city of Bari, which had been the capital of the Byzantine Catepanate of Southern Italy for centuries before the arrival of the Normans, opened its gates to the Emperor's army, and the overjoyed citizens tore down the Norman citadel. After the fall of Bari, the cities of Trani, Giovinazzo, Andria, Taranto, and Brindisi were also captured, and William who arrived with his army (which included 2,000 knights) was heavily defeated. |
Aftermath: |
| The Byzantines set foot in Italy and Sicily, but they were defeated next year in Brindisi. |
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