ministerialis, Dipold of Schweinspünt. Dipold’s county of Acerra had
once belonged to Richard, the brother of Walter’s mother-in-law,
Sibylla. Back in 1196–7, though, Richard had been captured by Dipold
and cruelly put to death, and Dipold had replaced him as count. There
was thus a very real blood feud between Dipold and Walter.^50 More to
the point, Dipold had effectively taken over the leadership of the German
forces on the mainland in 1199, when Markward of Anweiler had
invaded the island of Sicily.^51 Hence, it was a major coup that Walter
won a resounding victory over Dipold, outside Capua, on 10 June 1201.
As with many other battles, the surviving accounts are rather confusing
and contradictory, and so it is hard to say what actually happened on
thefield. The chances are, though, that it was thefighting quality of the
French knights, few in number though they were, that really made
the difference.^52 As a direct consequence of thisfirst major triumph,
almost all of the Terra di Lavoro, and much of the neighbouring county
of Molise, fell into Walter’s hands.^53 However, the count was anxious to
press on into Apulia as soon as he could, to claim his wife’s inheritance.
A succession of towns promptly submitted: theGestamentions Melfi,
Barletta, Montepeloso, Matera, Brindisi and Otranto. Walter’s main
targets proved much harder to crack, though. The town of Taranto
itself, and Monopoli, put up a staunch resistance. Lecce quickly surren-
dered, but Walter was still obliged to take its citadel by force.^54
The opposition to the count of Brienne was now orchestrated by
Walter of Palear. Palear had come to the mainland as part of a deal that
he had made with Markward of Anweiler, which left the latter as regent of
Sicily and guardian of the young King Frederick. As a result, Walter of
Palear was soon excommunicated by the pope, probably in August.^55
TheGestapresents us with afine scene in which the papal legate, Peter
of Porto, calls upon Palear to co-operate with the Church’s champion,
the count of Brienne. Walter of Palear replies that even if St Peter
himself, sent by Christ, had commanded him to do this, then he would
still not obey.^56 It was a short move, from here, into alliance with the
defeated Dipold. The opposing forces clashed on the ancient battlefield
of Cannae, near Barletta, on 22 October; but it was Walter of Brienne
who played the part of holy Hannibal. TheGesta’s account of the
(^50) Ibid., 18. (^51) For this, see Van Cleve,Markward of Anweiler, 170–3.
(^52) The battle is described in theAnnales Ceccanenses, ed. G. H. Pertz, inMGH,SS, xix, 291,
295, and inThe Deeds of Pope Innocent III, ch. 30.
(^53) Seeibid., ch. 30;Annales Casinenses, 318; and Richard of San Germano,Chronica,22–3.
(^54) The Deeds of Pope Innocent III, ch. 30.
(^55) See Van Cleve,Markward of Anweiler, 179–83.
(^56) The Deeds of Pope Innocent III, ch. 34.
The Life and Death of Walter III 43