followed, it is unsurprising that various sources suggest that Walter had
become overconfident, or even arrogant. TheGestaoffers us a supposed
bon motfrom the count himself. Armed Germans, said Walter, would not
dare to attack even unarmed Frenchmen–a neat reversal of modern
national stereotypes.^68 In this way, theGestasets Walter up for his fall,
which duly occurred on 11 June 1205. Atfirst light, Dipold led a raid
against Walter’s encampment, whilst the count and his men were‘resting
naked in their tents’.^69 Ernoul-Bernardand the‘Colbert-Fontainebleau’
continuation provide a vivid image of the enemy soldiers cutting the guy
ropes around Walter’s tent and felling it on the unfortunate count before
running him through.^70 Whilst this may, indeed, have been‘the simplest
of surprises’, the Fossanova chronicler hints at treachery, comparing
Walter to Roland in the pass of Roncesvalles.^71 Walter was dragged
away, in triumph, into the castle of Sarno. The‘Colbert-Fontainebleau’
continuation offers afinely etched but rather overdone scene in which
Dipold haggles with the mortally wounded count, even offering to help
him to win the crown of Sicily itself. But the chronicler, as ever, gives the
count of Brienne the moral high ground, and Walter replies with splen-
did contempt:‘il n’est ou monde honor ne hautece que je vosice avoir par
si vil home come vos estez’.^72 Any such negotiations soon became moot,
as Walter died a few days later. He was buried in the church of S. Maria
della Foce in Sarno, where his bones did not rest in peace. In the early
eighteenth century, Walter’s tomb was rediscovered in the church,and
promptly plundered by the local clergy themselves. The count’s spurs
were sold, his helmet was used as a saucepan, and his sword as a spit for
turning meat.^73
Walter’s war was wound up soon after his death. Innocent made peace
with Dipold, either in late 1205 or early 1206.^74 Walter’s widow, Elvira,
moved on quite quickly as well, wedding Count James of Tricarico. The
marriage was not consummated straight away, however, since she was
pregnant with Walter’s heir, the future Walter IV.^75 Moreover, it is worth
noting that, in the end, Elvira was married for a third andfinal time–to
the count of Tigrino.^76 It was she who brought up the young Walter IV,
(^68) The Deeds of Pope Innocent III, ch. 38. (^69) Ibid., ch. 38.
(^70) Chronique d’Ernoul et de Bernard le Trésorier, 329–330; Colbert-Fontainebleau, 237.
(^71) Annales Ceccanenses, 292. See also D. Abulafia,Frederick II: A Medieval Emperor(repr.
London, 2002), 102.
(^72) Colbert-Fontainebleau, 237. (^73) See de Sassenay,Brienne,83–6.
(^74) The peace is covered in a number of sources, includingThe Deeds of Pope Innocent III,
75 ch. 38,Annales Casinenses, 319, and Richard of San Germano,Chronica, 24.
SeeThe Deeds of Pope Innocent III, ch. 38.^76 See de Sassenay,Brienne, 87.
46 Breakthrough and High Point (c. 1191–1237)