Battle of Montemaggiore

Battle of Montemaggiore
Part of the Norman conquest of southern Italy
A runestone from Södermanland, Sweden, in contemporary Ringerike style commemorating a Varangian Guard fallen in Langbarðalandi
Date 4 May 1041 Location Ofanto river, near Cannae, Byzantine Italy 41°21′0.000″N 16°13′0.001″E / 41.35000000°N 16.21666694°E / 41.35000000; 16.21666694 Result Norman victory
Belligerents
Byzantine Empire Varangian Guard	Normans Lombard auxiliaries [1][nb 1]
Commanders and leaders
Michael Dokeianos Harald Hardrada	William Iron Arm Rainulf Drengot
Strength
Several thousand (Brown) 18,000 (Bari Annals)	700 Norman knights 1,300 infantry soldiers (Humble)
Casualties and losses
Heavy	Unknown
class=notpageimage| Location within Italy

The Battle of Montemaggiore (or Monte Maggiore) was fought on 4 May 1041, on the river Ofanto near Cannae in Byzantine Italy, between Lombard-Norman rebel forces and the Byzantine Empire. The Norman William Iron Arm led the offence, which was part of a greater revolt, against Michael Dokeianos, the Byzantine Catepan of Italy. Suffering heavy losses in the battle, the Byzantines were eventually defeated, and the remaining forces retreated to Bari. Dokeianos was replaced and transferred to Sicily as a result of the battle. The victory provided the Normans with increasing amounts of resources, as well as a renewed surge of knights joining the rebellion.

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