Stelle Sequenti autem anno multis fultus a...; (Historia Langobardorum Beneventanorum (880 - 890), trans. Ferry, 33, pp. 176-177) [5554]

Basic Information
Keywords
ID 5554
Text Historia Langobardorum Beneventanorum (880 - 890) Erchempert
Quotation Sequenti autem anno multis fultus auxiliatoribus Varim perrexit, atque cum saepe dicto Saugdane augustalis exercitus pugnam commisit; a quibus et superatus aufugiit, ammissa non modica parte bellatorum; dehinc omnia eorum circumquaque sata comburens, Materiam adiit, quam et sine mora igne cepit. Tunc venit Venusiam, castrametatusque in ea coepitque renovare, et Varim hinc et inde graviter expugnans, demolitus est; positoque presidio pugnatorum in Canusia, vicissim eos cornibus ventilabat; quo terrore perculsi, multi ad augustalem confugientes clementiam, dari sibi petebant dextras; quibus tunc solitam misericordiam [non] denegat. Post haec itum est Oeream urbem, sicque itidem reversus est Beneventum (...)
Translation Now the following year the emperor proceeded to Bari, supported by many auxiliary troops, and the imperial army engaged in battle with Sawdân; after being overcome by Sawdân’s forces, they fled away, losing a large part of the army. They then burned all of their crops around the area and went to Matera, which they also captured by fire without delay. Then they came to Venosa, and after laying out their camp began to rebuild there; and attacking Bari violently from here and there, they destroyed it. A garrison of warriors had been stationed at Canosa, and they sprayed them over and over again with javelins; many fled the emperor in terror and sought to pledge him their hands in friendship; he did not deny them his customary mercy at that time. After this they marched to the city of Oria, and so returned in the same way to Benevento.
Summary On their way to Bari, an encounter between the armies of Louis II and Sawdân, emir of Bari, ends in defeat for the emperor. Nevertheless, they proceed to lay waste to the area and burn down the fortified town Matera, subsequently setting up his main camp in Venosa, using the town as base for severe attacks on Bari. The vanguard is then sent to Canosa, forcing the people of the area to pledge allegiance to Louis. The farthest south the troops reach during this campaign is Oria, before going back to Benevento. These actions served to cut Bari off from Taranto.
Quotation source trans. Ferry, 33, pp. 176-177
Temporal Coverage 867 - 867
Associated use case(s)
Spatial Coverage Objects
Comment