imported>Heavy Grasshopper: Changing short description from "English courtier in Sicily" to "English courtier in 12th century Sicily"

2025-04-29T12:11:01Z

Changing short description from "English courtier in Sicily" to "English courtier in 12th century Sicily"

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{{Short description|English courtier in 12th century Sicily}}
'''Robert of Selby''' (or '''Salebia''') (died 1152) was an Englishman, a courtier of [[Roger II of Sicily|Roger II]] and [[chancellor]] of the [[Kingdom of Sicily]].{{sfn|Matthew|1992|p=210}} It is likely that his name indicates that he was from [[Selby]] in Yorkshire. He probably journeyed to [[Sicily]] about 1130. In his train was [[Thomas Brun]].

In 1137, he was appointed governor of [[Campania]] shortly before [[Salerno]], the capital of Campania, was besieged by Count [[Ranulf of Alife]], Duke [[Henry the Proud]], and Prince [[Robert II of Capua]], with the troops of the [[Emperor Lothair II]]. Robert stayed in Salerno to defend the city while Roger was in the island capital [[Palermo]]. With the cause hopeless, Robert advised the city to surrender and beg imperial protection to prevent a sack by the eager [[Pisa]]ns. The citizens did so and Robert of Selby left to organise the defence of the rest of the province.

In 1143, when [[Pope Innocent II]] refused to recognise the [[Treaty of Mignano]], Robert of Selby marched on papal [[Benevento]]. The Beneventans argued that their royal charter was being violated, whereupon Robert entered the palace and the charter was never seen again.

In Summer 1144, [[Pope Lucius II]] was barred from [[Rome]] by the ''[[senator]]es'' and the ''[[Patrikios|patricius]]'' [[Giordano Pierleoni]]. He failed in his negotiations with Roger at [[Ceprano]]. Robert of Selby led expeditions against the ill-defended [[Papal States]]. Lucius' successor, [[Pope Eugene III]], was invited back after the deposition of Giordano, but forced out again in March 1146. Late in 1149, Robert of Selby led him back into the [[Lateran]] with a Sicilian troop.

Robert of Selby probably acted as a sort of guardian for the young [[duke of Apulia]], [[Roger III, Duke of Apulia|Roger]], the son of Roger II. According to [[John of Hexham]], writing in 1147, Robert was "the most influential of the King's friends, a man of great wealth and loaded with honours." Likewise, in his ''[[Policraticus]]'', VII.19, [[John of Salisbury]] calls him "an able administrator . . . feared by all because of his influence with the Prince, and respected for the elegance of his life . . ." A modern opinion is that of [[John Julius Norwich]]: "Robert's administrative methods were as unorthodox as his way of life. He emerges as a far more cheerful and extrovert character than his master. . ." An incident in the ''Policraticus'', records Robert negotiating three large bribes from three candidates for the vacant see of [[Avella]]—and promptly disclosing the [[simony]] to an assembly of bishops, who elected a worthy abbot instead. Robert collected the bribes nevertheless.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
*[[John Julius Norwich|Norwich, John Julius]]. ''The Kingdom in the Sun 1130-1194''. Longman: [[London]], 1970.
*{{cite book |last=Matthew |first=Donald |title=The Norman Kingdom of Sicily |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=1992 }}
*Houben, Hubert. ''Roger II of Sicily: A Ruler between East and West''. Trans. G. A. Loud and Diane Milbourne. [[Cambridge University Press]]: 2002.

[[Category:1152 deaths]]
[[Category:Anglo-Normans]]
[[Category:Italo-Normans]]
[[Category:Medieval chancellors (government)]]
[[Category:People from Selby]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]

Robert of Selby - Revision history

imported>Heavy Grasshopper: Changing short description from "English courtier in Sicily" to "English courtier in 12th century Sicily"