He was an Italian-born Norman of the noble Hauteville family. After 1130, when his father Roger became King of Sicily, he was the third in line to the throne; second in line after the death of an older brother in 1138.
He was a Norman from the Hauteville family, born in Italy.  After his father, Roger, became King of Sicily in 1130, he was third in line to the throne; second only to his surviving sibling after the death of an older brother in 1138.