A coastal city in southern Italy, Bari served first as a bridgehead for Byzantine reconquest of the region after Basil I retook it alongside Otranto. It later became the last Byzantine stronghold in Italy, falling to Robert Guiscard in 1071 — the same year as the Battle of Manzikert — marking a twin catastrophe in which Byzantine power was simultaneously expelled from both Italy and Asia Minor.
What each episode says
Episode 12 (1 mention)
An Italian coastal city reconquered by Basil I alongside Otranto, providing the bridgehead for the subsequent Byzantine reconquest of virtually all of southern Italy.
“of Otranto and Bari, giving himself”
Episode 14 (1 mention)
The last Byzantine stronghold in Italy, taken by Robert Giscard in 1071 — the same year as the Battle of Manzikert. Brownworth marks this twin loss as the bookend disaster of that year: Byzantine power expelled from both Italy and Asia Minor simultaneously.
“By 1071, he had taken Bari, the last Byzantine stronghold in Italy, and by the following”
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