In Spring 1155, Count Robert III of Loritello, a rebel against the king of Sicily, William the Bad, negotiated support from Manuel. With an army of Anconans, Palaiologos and John Doukas descended the Italian peninsula into Apulia. Vieste was the first city to fall, but important Trani resisted surrender until Bari was bribed to open the gates of its citadel a week later.
In Spring 1155, Count Robert III of Loritello, a rebel against King William the Bad of Sicily, sought support from Manuel. With an army composed of Anconans, Palaiologos, and John Doukas, they descended into Apulia. Vieste was the first city to fall, but important Trani resisted surrender until Bari was bribed to open its citadel a week later.