Roger de Flor

Italian military adventurer and condottiere, famed for leading the Great Catalan Company.

Chronology: 1267 – 1305-04-30

Origins & Early Life

Roger de Flor (Eastern Catalan pronunciation: [ruˈʒe ðə ˈflɔ, ro-], Western Catalan pronunciation: [roˈdʒeɾ ðe ˈflɔɾ], c. 1267 – 30 April 1305), also known as Ruggero/Ruggiero da Fiore or Rutger von Blum or Ruggero Flores, was an Italian military adventurer and condottiere active in Aragonese Sicily, Italy, and the Byzantine Empire. He was the commander of the Great Catalan Company and held the title Count of Malta. == Biography == Roger de Flor was born in Brindisi in the Kingdom of Sicily, the second son of an Italian noblewoman of Brindisi and a German falconer named Richard von Blum (Blume means flower in German) in the service of Emperor Frederick II.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Richard von Blum was killed fighting at the Battle of Tagliacozzo in 1268. At eight years old Roger de Flor was sent to sea in a galley belonging to the Knights Templars. He entered the order and became captain of a galley called "El falcó". After rescuing wealthy survivors during the siege of Acre by the Mamluk Sultan Al-Ashraf Khalil in 1291, he went to Cyprus. Following intrigues and personal disputes he was accused of robbery and denounced by the Pope Boniface VIII as a thief and an apostate.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

This resulted in his relegation from...

Source: Wikipedia