Battle of Stilo

Part of The Middle Ages

Date	July 14, 982
Location	Capo Colonna, near Crotone, Italy
Result	Kalbid victory

Belligerents

Holy Roman Empire
Lombards of Southern Italy

Kalbid Muslims of Sicily

Commanders and leaders

Emperor Otto II
Landulf IV of Benevento †

Abu al-Qasim (), Emir of Sicily †

Strength

Unknown

Casualties and losses

4,000 casualties, including
many nobles killed

Fewer than Imperial army

The Battle of Stilo or Cape Colonna was fought on 13 or 14 July 982 near Crotone in Calabria between the forces of the Emperor Otto II and his Italo-Lombard allies and those of the Kalbid emir of Sicily, Abu al-Qasim (). Some sources claim that the Muslims received support from the Byzantines, in retaliation for Otto's invasion of their province of Apulia, but this is unconfirmed.

Al-Qasim, who had declared a Holy War (jihad) against the Germans, retreated when he noticed the unexpected strength of Otto's troops when he was not far from Rossano Calabro. Informed by some ships of the Muslim retreat, Otto left in that city his wife and children with the baggage and the imperial treasure, and set to pursue the enemy. When al-Qasim recognized that his flight had no hope of success, he fielded his army for pitched battle south of Crotone at Cape Colonna. After a violent clash, a corps of German heavy cavalry destroyed the Muslim centre and pushed towards al-Qasim's guards. The emir was killed, but his troops were not shaken by the loss: they even managed to surround the German troops with a hidden cavalry reserve (approx. 5,000 warriors), slaughtering many of them. According to the historian Ibn al-Athir, casualties were around 4,000. Landulf IV of Benevento, Henry I, Bishop of Augsburg, Günther, Margrave of Merseburg, the Abbot of Fulda and numerous other German counts (19Graf) were among them. Otto had to flee the battle field and swim towards a Greek merchant ship (or Chelandion) which gave him shelter. Resting in Rossano, he only returned to Roma on 12 November 982.

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