Peter II of Trani

Who was Peter II of Trani?

Peter II was the third Italo-Norman count of Trani. He was the youngest of three sons of Peter I; his elder brothers were Amico and Geoffrey.

Peter was on good terms with his overlord Drogo, Count of Apulia, who had been his father's enemy. Peter continued his father's attempts to secure Trani, still a Byzantine possession at the time of the latter's death. Peter II also strengthened the fortifications of Bisceglie, constructing several towers. In 1073 he began the Cathedral of Bisceglie, which he dedicated to his namesake, Saint Peter.

In 1054 Peter finally captured Trani. He also took Canosa and "other cities" dominated by the Saracens, according to the Cronaca Cavese. In 1059 he legislated laws for his new principality. In 1057 he began receiving those Normans disaffected by the rise of Robert Guiscard after the death of Count Humphrey, whose young sons, Abelard and Herman, were pushed aside. According to William of Apulia, Peter began strengthening the walls of Trani and preparing the city to resist an attack. By 1068 Trani was in the hands of Peter's brother Geoffrey, who was loyal to Guiscard.