The Normans of Troia had agreed to actively participate in the revolt, greeted, as they joined, by a less-than-fit William — his journey from Trani had been made in a litter. He had spent much time welcoming like-minded bands from all over South Italy, lances who had become aware that prosperity, if it were to be had, was to be found in Apulia. Given there had, over the course of the campaign, been a steady increase in the numbers of men William commanded, the Normans had grown to constitute a far more formidable and numerous force than that which had originally arrived in Melfi. More importantly, these warriors owed no allegiance to Rainulf Drengot and now outnumbered the men he had brought from Aversa.
After much feasting and talking over several days, which William pushed himself through on willpower, with the various delegates seeking allies or common positions, everyone who mattered was gathered in the great hall of the castle, the babble of noise deafening as it echoed off the bare stone walls. Guaimar had overseen the making of a high dais on which he could disport himself, dressed in silken garments with more than a hint of purple, a signal to all that he now saw himself as the overlord of all who had obeyed his ordinance. He wanted to look majestic, and he did, but when he finally imposed silence and sought to issue various edicts, he found he lacked the power to command: not one of the constituent bodies in the hall were prepared to just stand and allow themselves to be dictated to.
One by one they stated their objection to that which Guaimar was obviously seeking to impose: his own regal ambitions. Again the first to baulk were the port cities, with their mixed populations, who had no intention, individually or collectively, of dipping the knee to the Prince of Salerno, however he chose to style himself, nor did they wish to pay for Norman support.
They would look to their own walled defences to maintain themselves, and hire their own mercenaries, if need be, to protect their newly gained freedoms. Had one of their number not just seen off George Maniakes? It seemed pointless to seek to get them to agree that it had been the man’s ambition, not their efforts, which had sent him east.
Next came hostility from the Lombards of the inland towns and cities, where if they were not in a majority they formed the leading citizenry. Though the word ‘king’ was never mentioned, it was made plain by allusion that they had no desire to accept as sovereign a man who had stood aside from the fighting and all the losses of wealth and people that had entailed — an impostor, who had now come to claim the rewards.
William de Hauteville, the single most powerful person present, said nothing, and merely kept his own counsel, partly through a feeling of lassitude, but also from policy. Eventually, after much rancorous debate, Guaimar called for the meeting to be adjourned until the following day, and, plainly unhappy, stormed off to the part of the castle set aside for his use.
‘They must have an overlord,’ Guaimar shouted, vehemently yet safely, given he was in the company of his sister and the man he trusted most to advise him.
‘I suggest,’ said Kasa Ephraim, in his habitually calm manner, ‘they will not have anyone who styles themselves king.’
‘Is that not what we fought for?’ the prince replied, which led the Jew to wonder if he knew the meaning of the word ‘hypocrisy’. Not that he was troubled by the notion — it was the habit of princes — but if Guaimar thought in those terms, and worse still, spoke like that, he would only alienate those he was trying to persuade. ‘Do they not realise what we all have to gain by being united?’
‘Men see things from their own standpoint, honourable one.’
‘The Normans are behind this,’ Berengara claimed. ‘None of these cockroaches would dare gainsay you if they knew the Normans would back your claim, but did we hear any of them speak?’
‘Do you see a Norman hand in this, Ephraim?’ demanded Guaimar.
‘No. I doubt they care what title you adopt. They care more about what rewards are bestowed on them.’
‘Reward is all they care about,’ Berengara spat.
‘It is they who have fought, Lady Berengara, and it is their skill at arms which has brought such victories…’
‘Don’t forget the Lombards who fought as well.’
Kasa Ephraim merely nodded at her, and addressed his next words to her brother. ‘Only one question matters, honourable one: can Lombards, by themselves, hold Apulia if Byzantium sends a new catapan with an army at his heels to retake it? There is no certainty the Italians will fight to preserve a Lombard state. Who then will ensure security?’
The question that hung in the air was just as potent. Could the Prince of Salerno stand against such a force without the aid of Norman mercenaries? Only they could prevent a reverse, and it had not escaped notice that even the Lombard levies now accepted William de Hauteville as their leader. Guaimar could style himself by whatever appellation he desired; without men to sustain it, a title was worthless.
‘I would also suggest, my Prince, that given the numbers to which they have now risen, to have them back in Campania would be troublesome. Best they are kept away from your domains.’
The Jew did not add what he knew and had discerned in his conversation with William de Hauteville the previous year: the Normans were not going anywhere, they were in Apulia to stay.
‘I must speak with Rainulf. He must bring his men to heel.’
At that moment, it was William who was speaking with Rainulf, and the words he was using were not being well received by the elderly Count of Aversa, who had sought to berate him for his refusal to answer his previous appeals.
‘You stood by while your fellow Normans were massacred by peasants.’
A weary William replied, ‘I was otherwise occupied.’
‘You should be occupied as I direct.’
‘No, Rainulf, you no longer command me or the men I brought to Melfi — I do, for they have been with me too long, both here and in Sicily. As for those who have come of their own free choice…’
‘Many of those men you brought to Melfi are mine and I need them with me north of Capua.’
‘Perhaps some will agree, Rainulf, not many, and I grant you permission to seek them out.’
The explosion was immediate. ‘You grant me-’
‘Yes,’ William replied, in a soft tone. ‘Perhaps the notion of slaughtering poor peasants will appeal to them more than plundering Byzantine treasure.’
That calm interjection was like throwing turpentine on flames: Rainulf was so incensed he could barely breathe and his words were far from easily comprehensible. ‘You swine…you nobody… I raised you up and I can cast you down… I-’
William’s shout stopped him dead. ‘Enough!’
‘You owe me allegiance.’
‘I owe you nothing,’ William replied, with equal force, an act which required much effort. ‘I have seen you in private to do to you that which you would not have afforded me. If you want to be humiliated I will have the horns sounded and every Norman in Melfi gathered for you to address, and they can do so in full sight of everyone else present, Guaimar included. Then you can tell them they are yours to command, Rainulf, which if you are lucky will only gain you a sight of their bared arses. If not, you might pay with blood.’
Rainulf’s hand went deliberately to the hilt of his sword, which got him an icy response.
‘Draw it if you must, Rainulf, and though it will give me no pleasure to kill you, kill you I will.’ There was a moment then when pride fought with good sense, until William, too powerful even in the grip of a fever for the older man to challenge, gave him a reason to concentrate on the latter. ‘If you care nothing for your own life, think of your woman and her child.’
‘You owe me everything.’