Nicholas Picingli

Who is Nicholas Picingli?

Nicholas Picingli was the Byzantine strategos of Bari in the thema of Langobardia, who led the Byzantine contingent of the Christian League in the Battle of Garigliano in 915 during the Byzantine–Arab Wars.

He was appointed strategos of Bari by Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII in 915 to replace Melisianus, and immediately set to work organizing the various south Italian princes in a concerted effort to expel the Saracen presence.

At sea, Picingli had the support of the Byzantine navy, while on land he allied with Alberic I of Spoleto and Pope John X to form the Christian League. Picingli assembled the Byzantine forces from Byzantium's Italian vassals: the Lombard prince of Salerno, Guaimar II, and the prince of a united Capua and Benevento, Landulf I. This force then marched north towards the River Garigliano, where the Saracens' chief fortress was, where the rulers of Gaeta and Naples, Dukes John I and Gregory IV respectively, both technically Byzantine vassals, came to his camp to receive Byzantine titles and the duke of Gaeta and his son, Docibilis, and the duke of Naples and his, John, were made patricians. This large force united with armies led by Alberic I of Spoleto and Pope John X, who was personally leading an army of Latins and Romans. They met the Saracens in June and the battle was a Muslim rout.