CHAP. VIII. The Death of Almenon, King of Toledo, and of D. Ramon, Earl of Barcelo∣na. The Conquests of the Normans in Italy. The Conquest of Toledo re∣solved upon. Ramon, Earl of Barcelona, Murdered.
IN the Year of Grace 1077. dy'd two famous Princes. These were Almenon, King of * 1.1 Toledo, and D. Ramon, Earl of Barcelona, Sirnam'd the Old, which was the most remarka∣ble * 1.2 thing that happened that Year. Hissem, Son to the late King, succeeded his Father in the Throne of Toledo, and during the short time of his Reign, which was but one Year, kept up the Amity betwixt King Alonso of Castile, and himself, as he had been charged by his Father. After the death of Hissem, Reigned his Brother Hiaya Aldirbil, much unlike to his Father and Brother. He was a Coward, and unfit for Government, Lewd in his Life, and spar'd not the Wives and Daughters of his Subjects, whereby he became odious as well to the Moors as Christian Inhabitants of Toledo. Upon the death of Hissem, D. Alonso was dis∣charged * 1.3 of the Oath he had taken at Toledo, to be Friend to the Father and Son. Both Moors and Christians, weary of the Tyranny of that new Prince, solicited King Alonso to free them from that Slavery, and possess himself of that City. These were the first inducements to undertake the Conquest of that most Noble City, the Metropolis of all that Kingdom. D. Ramon, Earl of Barcelona, dy'd in that City, and was bury'd in the Cathedral thereof, which he had built from the Ground, with all suitable Pomp and Grandeur. He divided his Dominions betwixt his two Sons, D. Berenguel, and D. Ramon, called Cabeça de Estopa, or Flaxen-Head. This last, (according to Mariana the Younger, but according to several Testi∣monies brought in Opposition to him by Peter Mantuanus, in his Animadversions on his History, the elder Brother) Marry'd a Vertuous Lady, Daughter to Robert Guiscard, a Norman, but then very Powerful in Italy, as Zurita, lib. 1. cap. 1. relates. At this time the Normans were possessed of the extreme parts of Italy and Sicily. This Lady built two Monasteries, one of * 1.4 the Invocation of S. Daniel, in the Valley of S. Mary, in the Territory of Cabrera, the other near Girona, where, after the death of her Husband, she spent the remainder of her Life in much Sanctity. Both Monasteries were given to the Nuns of S. Benedict. D. Ramon Arnaldo, or Berenguel, who succeeded his Father in that Earldom, was Son to this Lady. About the same time Armengaud, Earl of Ʋrgel, made War upon the Moors in those Parts, and William Jor∣dan, Earl of Cerdagne, prosecuted the Arian Hereticks, who now began again to appear in those parts, after having been so long suppressed. He Banished them, Confiscated their Goods, made them Infamous, and put the Obstinate to death. Thro' the Valour of Armengaud, many Towns along the River Segre, were taken from the Moors, and particularly, the City Balaguer, the Metropolis of the Earldom of Ʋrgel.
Since we have above mentioned the Normans, it will not be amiss to add a few Lines in rela∣tion to them, their Conquests in Italy being parts we shall have much occasion to speak of in this * 1.5 History. It has been already said, how they being a Northern People, possess'd themselves of that part of France, before called Neustria, and from them, Normandy. This they did under Rollo, their Chief, and General. The 7th Duke from him, was William, called the Conque∣ror; for that having defeated, and slain Harold, he made himself King of England. Ano∣ther Army of Normans went thro' France into Italy, which was then divided into several small Principalities, and much wasted with intestine Wars. Here, they first served in the Wars of Lombardy and Tuscany, then passing into the Kingdom of Naples, where they receiv∣ed Pay of the Prince of Capua, and soon after, for better Pay, went over to him of Salerno, who, with their assistance, obtained the Victory over his Enemy. This War being ended, thro' the persuasions of Maniacus, Governor of Apulia and Calabria, for the Grecian Emperor, they undertook the Conquests of Sicily, then possess'd by the Moors. Their success was such, that in a short time, they drove the Infidels out of the Island, then falling at variance with the Greeks, expelled them also. Thus they laid the Foundations of a mighty Monarchy in Italy and Sicily, for at the fame of their success, many more resorted to them out of Normandy. All that was taken, was divided among the Conquerors, but the others soon dying, all was devolved upon Robert Guiscard and Roger. Robert, called himself Duke of Apulia and Calabria, Roger was Earl of Sicily. Robert by two Wives, had these Children, Boamundus, Roger, and one Daughter, who (if what the Catalonians say, be true) was Married to D. Ramon, Earl of Bar∣celona, as has been above related. Roger had a Son also called Roger, wh•••• hanged the Title of Earl, for that of King; and at last became sole Lord of all that the Normans held both in * 1.6 Italy and Sicily. Besides, Italy and Greece, were Tributary to him. This is taken out of