Sikelgaita
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Sikelgaita (1040-April 16, 1090) was a Lombard princess, the second wife of Robert Guiscard.
She was the daughter of Guiamarius IV, prince of Salerno. She married Robert in 1058, after Robert divorced his first wife Alberada due to supposed consanguinity. Her sister had earlier married Robert's half-brother Drogo. In 1060 she gave birth to Roger Borsa, and sometime later she gave birth to a second son, Guy, as well as a daughter, Maud, who married Ramon Berenguer II, Count of Barcelona.
Sikelgaita frequently accompanied Robert on his conquests. Although at first she tried to persuade him not to attack the Byzantine Empire, she accompanied him on his campaign against them as well. At the Battle of Dyrrhachium she fought in full armour, rallying Robert's troops when they were initially repulsed by the Byzantine army. According to the Byzantine chronicler Anna Comnena, she was "like another Pallas, if not a second Athena," and Anna attributes to her a quote from the Iliad.
In 1083 Sikelgaita returned to Italy with Robert to defend the Pope against Holy Roman emperor Henry IV. She accompanied him on a second campaign against the Byzantines, during which Robert died on Corfu in 1085 with Sikelgaita at his side. Supposedly, she tried to poison Robert's son by his first wife, Bohemund of Taranto, although the two eventually came to an agreement by which Roger Borsa was allowed to succeed Robert.
Sources
- Anna Comnena, The Alexiad.
- Patricia Skinner, "'Halt! Be Men!': Sikelgaita of Salerno, Gender, and the Norman Conquest of Italy," Gender and History 12:3 (2000).