Richard of Mandra
Part of The Encyclopedia of Southern Italy.
Richard of Mandra: fl. 2nd half of the 12th century. Norman nobleman. Count of Molise and chancellor to Margaret of Navarre, Queen regent of Sicily. In 1157, while serving as constable of the rebellious Count Robert III of Loreto, he was capyured by King William I. Later, in 1161, he joined a conspiracy against the king but changed his mind and saved William’s life as the risk of his own. In 1166, he was appointed Count of Molise by the Queen Regent Margaret of Navarre, who also chose him as chancellor. The relationship between the Queen and Richard are much debated, but in 1167, Margaret was forced to replace him as chancellor with Stephen du Perche. A year later, Richard was accused by Bohemond of Tarsia and Count Robert of Caserta of conspiring againg the new chancellor. Soon afterward he was tried and found guilty of having illegally obtained certain lands. After being stripped by these properties he appealed to King William II. Unfortunately, rather than receiving justice, Richard was thrown into prison. It is believed that that Richard’s unfortunate fate was the result of a plot designed by his great enemy, Gilbert, Count of Gravina.