ROGER DE HAUTEVILLE

Roger arrived in Italy as a mercenary looking to aid his brother in capturing Calabria from the Byzantines. However, he quickly set his sights on conquest of his own, taking Sicily from the Emirs, who’d controlled it since the 9th century. He managed to capture Palermo in 1072, acting as a vassal for his older brother until he died, then was recognised as sole Count of the island.