Margrave Gunther of Merseburg and Count Siegfried are sent to Calabria by King Otto the Great to punish the Byzantines, killing many and cutting off the noses of those they capture.
Hic detrimentum suorum graviter ferens, milites optimos Gunterium ac Sigifridum tale facinus ad ulciscendum in Calabriam propere misit. Qui Danaos victoria priori elatos et sibi occurrentes occiderunt, alios autem in fuga comprehensos obtruncant naribus;
Translation :
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Edition :
Thietmari Merseburgensis Episcopi Chronicon, In: W. Trillmich; S. Patzold, Thietmar von Merseburg: Chronik (FSGA 9), 9th Ed. Darmstadt 2017.
Remark :
context: This was as punishment for the attack on and death of envoys sent to the Byzantine emperor to arrange a marriage between one of his daughters and King Otto's son. long-term consequence: The Byzantine lands are afterwards plundered and made to pay tribute, described in: "Margrave Gunther of Merseburg and Count Siegfried plunder the Byzantine lands in Calabria and force them and those in Apulia to pay tribute."
