Robert Crispin


Robert Crispin, called Frankopoulos, was a Norman mercenary. Robert was the son of Gilbert Crispin. He had two brothers, Gilbert and William, the latter a lord in Neaufles. At some point after participating in the Crusade of Barbastro in 1064, Robert became the leader of a corps of his countrymen stationed at Edessa under the command of the Byzantine general Isaac Komnenos. In 1069, Robert was arrested by Romanos Diogenes after a brief rebellion. He fought against the invading Seljuk Turks and was supposedly poisoned shortly after the Battle of Manzikert.