Origins & Early Life

Roger of Lauria (c. 1245 – 17 January 1305), was a Calabrian knight in service of the Aragonese as admiral of the Sicilian navy. He has been described as one of the most successful and talented naval tactician of the Middle Ages. He is known as Ruggero or Ruggiero di Lauria in Italian and Roger de Llúria in Catalan.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Roger of Lauria was born at Lauria (or Scalea) in what is now southern Italy, the son of Richard of Lauria, Great Justiciar of the Kingdom of Sicily, and Donna Bella, a nurse of Constance of Sicily. His father had served under King Manfred of Sicily, a Hohenstaufen; when the last member of that family, Conradin of Swabia, was beheaded at Naples in 1268. He and his mother took refuge with other Ghibelline exiles at Barcelona, capital of the Crown of Aragon. Later, King Peter III of Aragon, who had married Constance of Hohenstaufen, made him a knight together with Corrado Lancia, who was to be a comrade of Roger in many of his enterprises as well as brother-in-law. King Peter arranged a marriage between Roger and Corrado's sister, Margherita, in 1273.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The marriage, Rogers' first of two, produced offspring. In 1282, Roger was named commander...

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