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The Normans had arrived in Southern Italy as mercenaries and they eventually created a powerful kingdom in southern Italy. They had ambitions to conquer the Byzantine Empire and the great city of Constantinople.<ref> Gibbon, chapter 48</ref>. The great Norman leader Robert Guiscard had invaded and ravaged the Balkans in the 1080s. Andronicus I ' reign of terror, plunged the Empire into chaos and William II saw his opportunity. The bloody Emperor’s son-in-law was in control of large areas of the Balkans. He was as cruel as Andronicus and terrorized many cities and when . When the Normans invaded from southern Italy , the local communities welcomed them as liberators.  The Normans easily took the Western Balkans and most of Greece and after they sacked Thessalonica, they marched on Constantinople. Andronicus defense of the city was totally wholly inadequate , and this led to the revolt that ended with his death. It fell to his successor Isaac Angelos to retrieve the situation .<ref>Gibbon, chapter 48</ref>. The Byzantines were fortunate as the mainly mercenary army of William disintegrated in a series of counter-attacks. Andronicus’ policies had almost led to the destruction of the Empire, which his grandfather, Alexios I, has saved in the aftermath of the disaster at Manzikert .<ref> Norwich, p 119</ref>.