and merit were the motives of their choice. The tributes of
their peculiar districts were appropriated to their use; and each
count erected a fortress in the midst of his lands, and at the
head of his vassals. In the centre of the province, the common
habitation of Melphi was reserved as the metropolis and citadel
of the republic; an house and separate quarter was allotted to
each of the twelve counts; and the national concerns were regulated by this military senate. The first of his peers, their
president and general, was entitled count of Apulia ; and this
dignity was conferred on William of the Iron Arm, who, in the
[A. D. 1042]
language of the age, is styled a lion in battle, a lamb in society,
and an angel in council.[1] The manners of his countrymen are
fairly delineated by a contemporary and national historian.[2]
Charcters of the Normans
"The Normans," says Malaterra, "are a cunning and revengeful character of
people; eloquence and dissimulation appear to be their hereditary qualities: they can stoop to flatter; but, unless they are
curbed by the restraint of law, they indulge the licentiousness
of nature and passion. Their princes affect the praise of popular
munificence; the people observe the medium, or rather blend
the extremes, of avarice and prodigality; and, in their eager
thirst of wealth and dominion, they despise whatever they possess,
and hope whatever they desire. Arms and horses, the luxury of
dress, the exercises of hunting and hawking,[3] are the delight of
the Normans; but on pressing occasions they can endure with
- ↑ Gulielm. Appulus, 1. ii. c. 12, according to the reference of Giannone (Istoria Civile di Napoli, torn. ii. p. 31), which I cannot verify in the original. The Apulian praises indeed his validas vires, probitas animi, and vivida virlus; and declares that, had he lived, no poet could have equalled his merits (1. i. p. 258, 1. ii. p. 259). He was bewailed by the Normans, quippe qui tanti consilii virum (says Malaterra, 1. i. c. 12, p. 552) tam armisstrenuum, tarn sibi munificuni, affabileni, morigeraiuin, ulterius se habere diffidebant. [Having elected William, the Normans placed themselves under the suzerainty of Waimar of .Salerno, who assumed the title of Prince of Apulia and Calabria. William, Rainulf. and Waimar then proceeded to Melfi and divided the conquests. Rainulf received, as an honorary present, Siponto and Mount Garganus; William got Ascoli; his brother, Drogo. Venosa, &c. &c., Aimé, Ystorie de Ii Normant, ii. 29, 30. The extent of the Norman conquest in this first stage corresponds (Heinemann observes, p. 94) to the towns in the regions of the rivers Ofanto and Bradano. " he valleys of these rivers were the natural roads to penetrate from .Vlelfi eastward and southward into Greek teiTitory."]
- ↑ The gens astutissima, injuriarum ultri.K . . . adulari sciens . . . eloquentiis inserviens, of Malaterra (1. i. c. 3, p. 550) are expressive of the popular and proverbial character of the Normans.
- ↑ The hunting and hawking more properly belong to the descendants of the Norwegian sailors; though they might import from Norway and Iceland the finest casts of falcons.
Leo Ostiensis (1. ii. c. 67) enumerates the divisions of the Apulian cities, which it is needless to repeat.
