Robert Crispin

Robert Crépin, better known under the anglicized form of the name Crispin († 1073 ) was a Norman cavalry commander in the service of the Byzantine Empire. He is described as " Northmannia egressus ".

He had fought in Spain against the Muslims and held in 1066 in southern Italy. He was a good of its own assigned ( Skylitzes 125 ), perhaps an imperial stud ( Shepard 1993, 288 ) in Armeniakon. He participated in the Syrian campaign of Romanus IV Diogenes in 1068, but was apparently of the more defensive tactics of the Emperor not thrilled. While the emperor returned to Constantinople Opel, he sent Crispin with his Norman mercenaries on the upper Euphrates, to keep the local border against the Seljuk Turks under Alp Arslan.

When he found himself not sufficiently rewarded by the Emperor Romanos, rebelled Crispin in 1069 and began plundering the imperial tax collectors ( Atteilates 123). From its base, the well-fortified castle Maurokastron on a steep rocky spur in Armeniakon that had been assigned to him as well base, he was able to withstand attacks by the local troops with ease. As Romanus with a well- equipped army marched against him, he arose immediately, however, and the Emperor pardoned him because of " his personal nobility and his heroic deeds and actions ( diataxeis ) in previous military campaigns ." As Crispin but far was entirely his comrades in imperial force, and this was considering the danger of an attack on his person and remote Crispin entirely of his army. He was exiled to Abydos.

When Michael VII Ducas brought an action against his former co- emperor in open rebellion, he enlisted the services Crispin, "an [em ] model of soldierly virtues" ( Shepard 1993, 298) and brought him back to his former post. Crispin seems to have served the Emperor valiantly. His death in Constantinople Opel (maybe even in the Great Palace itself) was even noted by the aristocratic chronicler Michael Psellos. However, it was about the rumor that he had been poisoned by the " envious Greeks ."

In his troops a long time was also Roussel Phrangopolos, a Frank, the Get by his betrayal notoriety.