Geoffrey of Hauteville (died between 1059 and 1071) was a Norman military leader and Count of the Capitanate, son of Tancred of Hauteville by his first wife Muriella.
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Birth order
Goffredo Malaterra lists Geoffrey as Tancred's fourth son by Muriella. The Annales of Romuald Guarna, instead, show him as the second son. Orderic Vitalis, finally, records that Geoffrey was the one that inherited his father's possessions, suggesting that he was the oldest son. This looks like an error from Orderic's part, as it was Serlo, not Geoffrey, that stayed in Normandy and inherited Tancred's possessions. Orderic's record, however, could denote a possible last-minute change of plan, due to a murder that forced Serlo to flee to Brittany, making him unable to inherit his father's lands and making Geoffrey the next in line. If this is the case, then Geoffrey is indeed Tancred's second son by Muriella as recorded by Romuald Guarna.
Life
Geoffrey arrived in Southern Italy around 1053, together with his half-brothers Mauger and William of the Principate. When Mauger died, his fiefs passed to William, who in turn gifted them to Geoffrey. In this way, Geoffrey became Count of the Capitanate.
In 1059 Geoffrey asked his younger brother, Robert Guiscard, to help him suppress a rebellion that arose in the region of “Tetium” (in Abruzzi). Robert in turn asked their younger brother, Roger of Sicily, to also help them; together, Robert and Roger mobilized their armies and helped Geoffrey in capturing the fortress of Guilmi (Guillimacum). They succeeded and took as prisoner the commander of the fortress, a certain Walter, together with his sister. Walter's eyes were gauged out to prevent him from rebelling again.
