Battles Behind the Songs
Lady Ailith Bystoune

Battle of Benvento
February 26, 1266, near the town of Benevento in Southern Italy (which was part of the Kingdom of Sicily at the time) between Charles of Anjou and Manfred of Sciliy. 

Manfred was King of Sicily and a member of the Hohenstaufen dynasty. He was the illegitimate son of the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick II, and represented his brother, Conrad IV’s interests in Sicily. Throughout this time period, the Holy Roman Emperor and the Pope often conflicted over the rule of most of Italy and Central Europe. Frederick II had been embroiled in conflict with the Papacy for most of his rule, and at his death, the conflict continued. In 1254, Manfred’s brother, Conrad, died and the Pope, Innocent IV, demanded the return of Sicily, which Manfred refused. Innocent excommunicated Manfred, who then went to Lucera (a Saracen* city in Southern Italy) to build an army. Manfred defeated Pope Innocent at Foggia in late 1254 and by 1257, he had solidified his rule of Sicily crowning himself king (as prior to this, he was regent for his nephew, Conradin). Innocent IV died in 1254 and was succeeded by Alexander IV, who died in 1261 and was succeeded by Urban IV. As Manfred consolidated power, Urban excommunicated him and began trying to sell the Kingdom of Sicily (to someone who had an army and could take it from Manfred). 

After shopping Sicily around to a number of the powerful nobility of Europe, Pope Urban IV found a taker in Charles of Anjou. Charles was the brother of Louis IX, King of France (AKA Saint Louis for whom St. Louis, MO is named). Charles was by marriage Count of Provence and Forcalquier, and by royal appointment Count of Anjou and Maine, and really had a thing to be King of somewhere. He conquered Albanian and crowned himself King in 1272, and then purchased the right to call himself King of Jerusalem in 1277 (which Europeans barely had a foothold in at the time, by 1291, Baibars had completely wiped European powers from the Middle East). So, in 1263 Urban “sold” Sicily to Charles and then died in 1264 before Charles had raised an army to take the Sicilian crown. Luckily for Charles, Urban was succeeded by Clement IV who was a supporter of Charles’ plan to depose Manfred. In 1265, Pope Clement IV crowned Charles King of Sicily (from Rome). Charles began a military campaign and Manfred went to meet him in January of 1266. After a few minor battles, the two armies met at Benevento in February 1266. Manfred’s army included Saracen archers and Saracen light cavalry in addition to German and Italian mercenaries. 

Manfred advanced his archers across the bridge over the Calore River to begin the battle but were forced back, as were his German mercenaries whose novel plate armor failed to protect them as it did not cover their armpits. As Manfred’s German and Italian troops were forced back across the bridge, Charles pressed hard and they fled. At this point, most of Manfred’s nobles also fled leaving Manfred with a small contingent of followers. Refusing to flee, Manfred took this small group and led a suicide charge against Charles and died. His body was buried on the battlefield and covered with a mound of stones, though later the Pope had him exhumed and moved outside the borders of the Papal States. This song is sung from the perspective of Manfred’s Saracen supporters on that final charge at the end of the battle - none of whom survived. 

Neat Stuff
Queen Elizabeth II of England is a direct descendent of Manfred. Manfred is also a character in Dante’s Divine Comedy, where he is found waiting to be admitted to Purgatory. 

*Saracen refers to Muslims. Sicily had been a Saracen kingdom until 1061, and many Muslims remained in Southern Italy but by 1280, almost all had converted to Catholicism.