Eleven monks of Saint-Evroul-sur-Ouche had been banished from Normandy in January 1061 as a result of several quarrels between the barons of Duke William I of Normandy, Robert de Grantmesnil, his nephew Berengar, half-sister Judith (future wife of Roger I of Sicily).

They had headed to the Mezzogiorno, where all had been well received by Pope Alexander II, who had just succeeded Pope Nicholas II, and who, after hearing of their troubles in Normandy, had given Robert and his monks the temporary use of the church of Saint-Paul the Apostle in Rome.

To find a more permanent situation Robert had sought help from his cousin, William of Montreuil, at this time in the service of Pope Alexander II, who had given Robert and his monks half the town of Aquino.

He also sought help from Richard I of Capua, Prince of Capua who, as it turned out, made Robert many empty promises.

In disgust, Robert had turned to Robert Guiscard, who had treated the abbot with great respect and invited him and his monks to settle in his Duchy of Calabria.

Robert founds the abbey of Sant'Eufemia Lamezia in Calabria in about 1061 or 1062, and Guiscard also grants him the abbey of Venosa in 1062.