Bohemund

   Norman (q.v.) foe of Alexios I Komnenos (q.v.); son of Robert Guiscard (q.v.). He and his father directed Norman expansion eastward into Byzantine territories during the early years of the reign of Alexios I Komnenos (q.v.), capturing Dyrrachion (q.v.) in 1081. Alexios I and Bohemund fought over northern and western Greece (q.v.) until Robert Guiscard died in 1085, after which the Norman threat collapsed and Alexios regained Dyrrachion. Alexios I had every reason to be suspicious when Bohemund appeared at Constantinople (q.v.) in 1097 as a leader of the First Crusade (q.v.). Nevertheless, Alexios I attempted to use him to Byzantine advantage, and Bohemund was inclined toward cooperation and readily took an oath of allegiance to Alexios. However, Bohemund not only refused to return Antioch (q.v.) to Alexios I, as promised, but returned to Italy (q.v.) in 1104 to organize a new Crusade, this time directed against Byzantium (q.v.). To this end he crossed the Adriatic Sea (q.v.) and besieged Dyrrachion in 1107. Bohemund's subsequent defeat by Alexios, and the allegiance he was forced to swear to the emperor (q.v.) as a result of the Treaty of Devol (q.v.), was so humiliating that he never returned to Antioch. He died in obscurity, probably in 1111. Anna Komnene (q.v.) has a memorable description of Bohemund in her Alexiad.