Roussel de Bailleul

Roussel ventured with the Apulian Normans to Italy, settled in Terra d'Otranto and served under Roger de Hauteville in Sicily.

According to Geoffrey Malaterra, Roussel distinguished himself with his bravery at the Battle of Cerami, where he urged Count Roger to pursue the fleeing Saracens.

[1] Afterwards he remained in imperial service, and was sent into Asia Minor again with a force of 3,000 Franco-Norman heavy cavalry, where he conquered some territory in Galatia and Lycaonia and founded an independent principality in 1073,[2] with himself as prince, following the example set by his fellow Normans in the Mezzogiorno.

In order to subdue him, the Byzantine court sent an army under the Emperor's uncle, kaisar John Doukas, and Nicephorus Botaniates against Roussel but they were defeated in a battle at an important bridge of the Sangarios river.

He then set up John Doukas as a usurper candidate to the imperial throne, most likely to gain more backing from the local population and attract more soldiers.