• Born: 1052, Canosa di Puglia, Apulia, Italy
• Married: Between 25 Mar 1106 and 26 May 1106, Chartres, Eure-Et-Loire, France
• Died: 6 Mar 1111, Bari, Canosa di Puglia, Apulia, Italy

  Research Notes:

The Annals of Romoald name "Boamundum" as the son of Robert "Guiscard" and his first wife. The Lignages d'Outremer name "Beymont" as son of "Robert Guichart qui conquest Puille", stating that he was "prince de Tarente" before he was granted Antioch. William of Tyre records "Boamundus" as son of Robert Guiscard in 1097. He inherited the large size and height of his father. His father gave him command of the campaign against Byzantine Illyria in 1081. He captured Valona, was defeated in a naval battle by the Venetians allied with Byzantium, but then laid siege to Durazzo. During his father's temporary absence attacking Rome, Bohémond lost most of the conquered territory. After his father died in 1085, Bohémond fought his half-brother Roger, whom his father had designated as sole heir in Apulia. Moving southwards from his castle at Tarento, he captured Oria and Otranto, and was able to force peace in return for the grant, not only of Oria and Otranto, but also of Gallipoli, Tarento and Brindisi together with the region between Conversano and Brindisi, with the title Prince of Tarento. In 1090, Bohémond annexed Bari, but was faced with rebellion by the Count of Conversano and the Lord of Montescaglioso. As one of the leaders of the First Crusade, he acceptance to swear allegiance to Emperor Alexios I Komnenos in Apr 1097, agreeing that the emperor should become overlord of any new principalities founded by the crusaders and that any land captured which had previously belonged to the empire should be handed back to Byzantium. Albert of Aix records that "Boemundus" swore allegiance to the emperor and agreed not to conquer any territory within the empire without the emperor’s consent. Bohémond played a decisive role in the capture of Antioch 28 Jun 1098, after a siege lasting eight months. Bar Hebræus records that "les Francs" invaded Syria in A. H. 491 (1097/98), captured Antioch from "Yaghi-Sian" in "le mois de djomada premier" (Apr/May 1098) after a nine month siege, and slaughtered the Muslims. The leaders of the crusade disagreed about which of them should control Antioch. After Raymond "de Saint-Gilles" Comte de Toulouse finally marched south to continue the crusade in Jan 1099. Bohémond remained in possession of Antioch.

He declared himself BOHEMOND I Prince of Antioch in defiance of his oath of allegiance to the emperor. He was confirmed as Prince of Antioch in Jerusalem at Christmas 1099 by Daibert, newly elected Patriarch of Jerusalem, although with doubtful authority as John of Oxeia had been appointed Patriarch of Antioch. Bohémond enlarged his principality by taking Edessa, but he was captured by the Danishmend Emir Malik Ghazi in 1100 while defending his new acquisition against the Turks. Albert of Aix records that "Gaveras Armenici ducis principis et domini…Malatinam" requested help against "Donimannus quidam princeps Turcorum" from Bohémond Prince of Antioch who was captured with "eiusque propinquo Richardo" and taken to Nixandria, dated to 1100 from the context. Vardan's History records that "Danishman lord of Sebastia, whom they say was of Armenian nationality, came against Melitene" in 1100 and captured "Pemond and Rajard who were at Edessa [and] who came against him". During his captivity he is said to have had an affair with either the Emir's daughter or one of his wives: Orderic Vitalis recounts how "Melaz, daughter of the Danishmend" helped Prince Bohémond I during his captivity, returned with him to Antioch, was baptised and married his nephew Roger, but the story does not appear to be corroborated elsewhere. He negotiated his release in 1103 for a payment of a ransom of 100, 000 besants, and returned to Antioch where he resumed his position in place of his nephew Tancred who had been installed as regent in his absence. Together with Joscelin de Courtenay, he captured Muslimiye in Summer 1103 and Basarfut in Mar 1104, both in the territory of the emirate of Aleppo. In Summer 1104, the Byzantines recaptured Tarsus, Adana and Mamistra. Faced with these attacks from both the Turks and Byzantium, both of whose interests were threatened by the establishment of the new principality of Antioch on their borders, Bohémond appointed his nephew Tancred as regent in Antioch and returned to Europe for reinforcements in 1104, with a view particularly of attacking Emperor Alexios. Albert of Aix records the return of "Boemundo" to "Italiam sed et Galliam" to request reinforcements "adversus Alexium regem Græcorum", while Tancred returned to Antioch "vice avunculi sui", dated to 1105 from the context. Albert of Aix records that "Boemundus" returned with reinforcements and arrived at "Valonam", dated to [1107] from the context, besieged Durazzo in the Spring and defeated the emperor [presumably referring to Emperor Alexios I] who marched there to relieve the city, a subsequent passage stating that the siege lasted one year and that "Wido filius sororis Boemundi, Willelmus Claret et ceteri" tried to persuade Bohémond to lift the siege before the latter left and returned to Apulia. With English, French and Papal support, he marched on Byzantium but was defeated at Avlona near Durazzo in Oct 1107. Emperor Alexios confirmed Bohémond as Prince of Antioch, but obliged him to accept Byzantine suzerainty under the Treaty of Devol in 1108.

Bohémond lived the remaining years of his life in Apulia. Albert of Aix records that "Boemundus avunculus Tancredi" died at Bari and was buried "Beati Nicolai" at the time Emperor Heinrich V was attacking Rome. ²