Sichelgaita of Salerno (c.1036-1090) was an Italian princess who accompanied her husband on campaign and donned armor. She represents a clear example of a medieval woman actively participating in battles. Apart from her military exploits, Sichelgaita was also a political force.

Sichelgaita of Salerno and the Norman and Sicily

Sichelgaita (or Sikelgaita, Sigelgaita or Gaita) was the daughter of the Lombard Prince Guaimar of Salerno. In 1058, her brother arranged her marriage to Robert Guiscard (1020-1085), the Norman Duke of Apulia and Calabria. The son of a minor Norman noble, Robert arrived in Italy almost penniless but eventually gained power and influence. This marriage provided him with ties to a high-status family. She and Robert had eight children together.

Norman women managed castles, exercised political power and sometimes even led army. Though not Norman by birth, Sichelgaita became a perfect representative of this trend.

A formidable sight in armor: the exploits of a real-life lady knight

Two writers report Sichelgaita’s military activity: the chronicler William of Apulia (writing in the 1090’s) and the Byzantine princess Anna Komnene (1083-1153).

Sichelgaita was Robert’s closest allied and military partner. William of Apulia wrote that in 1080, when a revolt rose against her husband, Sichelgaita took command of the siege of Trani while Robert headed south. Peter of Trani surrendered and begged for forgiveness.

Anna Comnena gives the following description of Sichelgaita:

“She went on campaign with her husband and when she donned armor she was a formidable sight”

According to the princess, Robert waited for his wife to arrive before going out on his campaign against the Byzantine Emperor. Sichelgaita had objections at first, arguing that Christians should not fight other Christians. She remained steadfast in spite of it all.

In October 1081, during the invasion of Dyrrhachium, some of the Norman soldiers tried to flee. Sichelgaita shamed them into coming back:

“There is a story that Robert’s wife Gaita, who used to accompany him on campaign like another Pallas, if not a second Athena, seeing the runaways and glaring fiercely at them, shouted in a very loud voice, « How far will ye run? Halt! Be men! » (…) As they continued to run, she grasped a long spear and charged at full gallop against them. It brought them to their senses and they went back to fight”.

According to William of Apulia’s account of the same battle, Sichelgaita was wounded by an arrow and narrowly escaped capture.

Anna Komnene recounts that Sichelgaita also avoided capture during the naval battle of Corfu in 1085. The warrior princess certainly did not wait at the rear.

Valerie Eads notes that the troops that she commanded during these battles may well have been her own and concluded that :

“Her presence says as much as the limits of her husband’s authority as it does about her own vigor and courage”.

A woman ruler: the armored duchess’ political career

Robert Guiscard died in 1085. Sichelgaita managed to have her son Roger named as heir. She remained influential and became regent on her son’s behalf. Sichelgaita even used the masculine title dux in some documents and charters.

The Norman chronicler Orderic Vitalis reported that she tried to poison her stepson Bohemond (Robert’s son by his previous wife) and poisoned her husband. She had reportedly learned the art from physicians of the

These stories may be apocryphal or based on rumors spread by Bohemond himself. Accusations of poisoning were something Orderic sometimes leveled against powerful women, such as the powerful and grasping Mabel of Bellême.

Sichelgaita of Salerno died in 1090. She had risked death and capture, rode into battle, and ruled her territories. She remains today one of the most studied medieval warrior women.

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Further reading about Sichelgaita of Salerno

Komnene Anna, Alexiad

Orderic Vitalis, Ecclesiastic history

William of Apulia, The deeds of Robert Guiscard

Eads Valerie, ”Sichelgaita of Salerno”in: Amazons to fighter pilots, biographical dictionary of military women vol.2

Eads, Valerie,”Sichelgaita of Salerno: Amazon or Trophy Wife?”

Skinner Patricia ‘“Halt! Be Men!”: Sikelgaita of Salerno, Gender and the Norman Conquest of Southern Italy”

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