Kingdom of Sicily
Kingdom of Sicily | |||||||||||||||
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1130–1816 | |||||||||||||||
Motto: Animus Tuus Dominus ( Charles I of Anjou | |||||||||||||||
• 1759–1816 | Ferdinand III (last) | ||||||||||||||
Legislature | Parliament | ||||||||||||||
History | |||||||||||||||
1130 | |||||||||||||||
1282 | |||||||||||||||
1816 | |||||||||||||||
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Today part of | Italy Malta |
The Kingdom of Sicily (
After a brief rule by Charles of Anjou, a revolt in 1282 known as the
History
Norman conquest
By the 11th century, mainland southern Lombard and Byzantine powers were hiring Norman mercenaries, who were descendants of Vikings in northern France; it was the Normans under Roger I who conquered Sicily, taking it away from the Sicilian Muslims. After taking Apulia and Calabria, Roger occupied Messina with an army of 700 knights. In 1068, Roger I of Sicily and his men defeated the Muslims at Misilmeri but the most crucial battle was the Siege of Palermo, which led to Sicily being completely under Norman control by 1091.[8]
Norman kingdom (1130–1198)
The
In 1136, the rival of Anacletus,
Lothair, who had hoped for the complete conquest of Sicily, then gave
Roger spent most of the decade, beginning with his coronation and ending with the
It was through his admiral George of Antioch that Roger then conquered the littoral of Ifriqiya from the Zirids, taking the unofficial title "King of Africa" and marking the foundation of the Norman Kingdom of Africa. At the same time, Roger's fleet also attacked the Byzantine Empire, making Sicily a leading maritime power in the Mediterranean Sea for almost a century.[10]
Roger's son and successor was
With the support of the officials,
Hohenstaufen period (1198–1266)
In 1197, the accession of Frederick, a child who would also become
The Hohenstaufen's grip on power, however, was not secure.
The reform of the laws began with the
Frederick had to beat off a Papal invasion of Sicily in the
The Miossi family, a noble family, was commissioned in 1251 by Pope Innocent IV to administer the Kingdom of Sicily.[19] The Hohenstaufen rule in Sicily ended after the 1266 Angevin invasion and the death of Conradin, the last male heir of Hohenstaufen, in 1268.[18]
Angevin Sicily (1266–1282)
In 1266, conflict between the Hohenstaufen house and the Papacy led to Sicily's conquest by
Opposition to French officialdom and taxation combined with incitement of rebellion by agents from the
The insular Kingdom of Sicily under the Crown of Aragon and Spain (1282–1700)
Sicily was ruled as an independent kingdom by relatives or cadet branch of the house of Aragon until 1409 and thence as part of the
Malta under the Knights
In 1530, in an effort to protect
After the Maltese rebellion against the French, Malta was under British protection until it became a British crown colony in 1813. This was officially recognized by the Treaty of Paris of 1814, which marked the end of Malta's 700-year relationship with Sicily.
After the War of the Spanish Succession - Savoy and Habsburg rule (1713–1735)
From 1713 until 1720, the Kingdom of Sicily was ruled briefly by the
The two kingdoms under the House of Bourbon of Spain (1735–1816)
In 1734, in the aftermath of the
Charles III abdicated in favour of
In 1799, Napoleon conquered Naples, forcing King Ferdinand and the court to flee to Sicily under the protection of the British fleet under the command of Horatio Nelson. While Naples was formed into the Parthenopean Republic with French support and later again a kingdom under French protection and influence, Sicily became the British base of operation in the Mediterranean in the long struggle against Napoleon. Under British guidance, especially from Lord William Bentinck who was commander of British troops in Sicily, Sicily tried to modernise its constitutional apparatus, forcing the King to ratify a Constitution modeled after the British system.[22] The island was under British occupation from 1806 to 1814.[23] The main feature of the new system was that a two-chamber parliament was formed (instead of the three of the existing one). The formation of the parliament brought the end of feudalism in the Kingdom.
After the defeat of
Society
During the Norman Kingdom of Sicily, the local communities maintained their privileges. The rulers of the Hohenstaufen kingdom replaced the local nobility with lords from northern Italy, leading to clashes and rebellions against the new nobility in many cities and rural communities. These revolts resulted in the destruction of many agrarian areas and the rise of middle class nationalism, which eventually led to urban dwellers becoming allies of the Aragonese.[13] This situation was continued during the short rule of the Angevins until their overthrowing during the Sicilian Vespers. The Angevins began feudalising the country, increasing the power of the nobility by granting them jurisdiction over high justice.[24]
At the same period, the feudalisation of the Kingdom of Sicily was intensified, through the enforcement of feudal bonds and relations among its subjects. The
The kingdom had a parliament from 1097, which continued to sit throughout the realm's history until the Sicilian Constitution of 1812.
Demographics
During the reign of
Division | Population |
---|---|
Val di Mazzara | 643,000 |
Val di Demona | 521,000 |
Val di Noto | 459,000 |
Lipari Islands |
18,000 |
Aegadian Islands | 12,000 |
Pantelleria Island | 3,000 |
Total Population | 1,656,000 |
City | Population |
---|---|
Palermo | 120,000 |
Catania | 40,000 |
Messina | 36,000 |
Modica | 23,500 |
Syracuse | 17,000 |
Economy
The high fertility of the land led the Norman kings to bring settlers from neighbouring regions or to resettle farmers to areas where cultivation of land was needed. This led to an increase in agricultural production. The main sources of wealth for the Kingdom of Sicily in that time were its maritime cities, most important of which were the ancient port cities of
Under the kingdom, Sicily's products went to many different lands. Among these were Genoa, Pisa, the Byzantine Empire, and Egypt. Over the course of the 12th century, Sicily became an important source of raw materials for north Italian cities such as Genoa. As the centuries went on, however, this economic relationship became less advantageous to Sicily, and some modern scholars see the relationship as definitely exploitative.[29] Furthermore, many scholars believe that Sicily went into decline in the Late Middle Ages, though they do not agree about when this decline occurred. Clifford Backman argues that it is a mistake to see the economic history of Sicily in terms of victimization, and contends that the decline really began in the second part of the reign of Frederick III, in contrast to earlier scholars who believed that Sicilian decline had set in earlier.[30] Where earlier scholars saw late medieval Sicily in continuous decline, Stephen Epstein argued that Sicilian society experienced something of a revival in the 15th century.[31]
Various treaties with Genoa secured and strengthened the commercial power of Sicily.[11]
The feudalisation of society during the Angevin rule reduced royal wealth and treasury. The dependence of the Angevins on north Italian commerce and financing by Florentine bankers were the main factors which led to the decline of the Kingdom's economy.[24] The continuation of the economic decline combined with the increased population and urbanization led to decrease of agrarian production.
In 1800, one-third of the available crops was cultivated with obsolete methods, exacerbating the problem. In the later period of Spanish rule, the trading system was also inefficient compared with previous periods because of high taxes on exports and monopolising corporations which had total control of prices.[32]
Coinage
The Norman kings in the 12th century used the
After defeating the Tunisians in 1231, King Frederick I minted the augustalis. It was minted in 21+1⁄2 carats and weighed 5.28 grams.[33] In 1490, the triumphi were minted in Sicily. They were equivalent to the Venetian ducat. One triumpho was worth 11+1⁄2 aquilae. One aquila was worth twenty grani. In transactions tari and pichuli were mainly used.[7]
Religion
During the Norman reign, several different religious communities coexisted in the Kingdom of Sicily. These included Latin Catholics (Roman Catholics), Greek-rite Catholics (Greek Catholic), Muslims and Jews. Although local religious practices were not interrupted, the fact that Latin Catholics were in power tended to favor Latin Catholicism (Roman Catholicism). Bishops of the Greek rite were obliged to recognize the claims of the Latin Church in Sicily, while Muslim communities were no longer ruled by local emirs. Greek-speaking Christians, Latin Christians, and Muslims interacted on a regular basis, and were involved in each other's lives, economically, linguistically, and culturally. Some intermarried. Catholics living in an Arabic-speaking area might adopt Arabic or even Muslim names.[34] In many cities, each religious community had its own administrative and judicial order. In Palermo, Muslims were allowed to publicly call for prayer in mosques, and their legal issues were settled by qadis, judges who ruled in accordance with Islamic law.[11] Since the 12th century, the Kingdom of Sicily recognized Christianity as the state religion.[35]
After the establishment of Hohenstaufen authority, Latin- and Greek-speaking Catholics maintained their privileges, but the Muslim population was increasingly oppressed. The settlements of Italians brought from northern Italy (who wanted Muslim property for their own) led many Muslim communities to revolt or resettle in mountainous areas of Sicily.[36] These revolts resulted in some acts of violence, and the eventual deportation of Muslims, which began under Frederick II. Eventually, the government removed the entire Muslim population to Lucera in Apulia and Girifalco in Calabria, where they paid taxes and served as agricultural laborers, craftsmen, and crossbowmen for the benefit of the king. The colony at Lucera was finally disbanded in 1300 under Charles II of Naples, and many of its inhabitants sold into slavery.[36] The Jewish community was expelled after the establishment of the Spanish Inquisition from 1493 to 1513 in Sicily. The remaining Jews were gradually assimilated, and most of them converted to Roman Catholicism.[7]
See also
- Angelo da Furci
- County palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos
- Emirate of Sicily
- Expedition of the Thousand
- Expulsion of the Jews from Sicily
- Kingdom of Naples
- Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
- Kingdom of Sicily under Savoy
- List of Sicilian monarchs
- Norman–Arab–Byzantine culture
- Norman conquest of southern Italy
- Redshirts
- Sicilian Parliament
- War of the Sicilian Vespers
References
- ^ Mallette 2011, p. 5.
- ^ Documenti per servire alla storia di Sicilia: Diplomatica, Volumes 14-16 (in Italian). U. Manfredi Editori. 1891-01-01. p. XXXII. Archived from the original on 2024-01-20. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
- ^ Vio, Michele Del (1706-01-01). Felicis, et fidelissimæ urbis Panormitanæ selecta aliquot ad civitatis decus, et commodum spectantia privilegia per instrumenta varia Siciliæ ... opera don Michaelis De Vio . (in Italian). in palatio senatorio per Dominicum Cortese. p. 314. Archived from the original on 2024-01-20. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
- ^ Gregorio, Rosario (1833-01-01). Considerazioni sopra la storia di Sicilia dai tempi normanni sino al presenti, Volume 3 (in Italian). dalla Reale Stamperia. p. 303. Archived from the original on 2024-01-20. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
- ^ Mongitore, Antonino; Mongitore, Francesco Serio e (1749-01-01). Parlamenti generali del regno di Sicilia dall' anno 1446 sino al 1748: con le memorie istoriche dell' antico, e moderno uso del parlamento appresso varie nazioni, ed in particolare della sua origine in Sicilia, e del modo di celebrarsi, Volume 1 (in Italian). Presso P. Bentivenga. p. 109. Archived from the original on 2024-01-20. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
- ^ "Italy to c. 1380 – The southern kingdoms". Encyclopedia Britannica. Archived from the original on 2021-02-14. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
- ^ ISBN 90-04-12898-0.
- ^ "Chronological - Historical Table Of Sicily". In Italy Magazine. 7 October 2007. Archived from the original on 27 July 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
- ^ Douglas, David. The Norman Fate, 1100-1154. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1976.
- ^ ISBN 0-521-65573-0.
- ^ ISBN 0-521-26911-3.
- ^ ISBN 0-415-17414-7.
- ^ ISBN 1-84176-322-5.
- ISBN 0-8014-2264-7.
- ISBN 978-0-7864-3462-6.
- ^ Loud, G. A. (2016) [2011]. "The Papal 'Crusade' against Frederick II in 1228–1230". In Michel Balard (ed.). La Papauté et les croisades / The Papacy and the Crusades. Routledge. pp. 91–103.
- ^ ISBN 0-313-32590-1.
- ^ ISBN 0-521-43774-1.
- ^ Adams, C.F. The Lost Kingdom of the Lombardo's. Oxford Press,1967.
- ISBN 0-521-24828-0.
- ^ ISBN 1-74059-178-X.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-470-10056-1.
- ^ W. H. Clements, "The Defences of Sicily, 1806-1815," Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research, Autumn 2009, Vol. 87 Issue 351, pp 256-272
- ^ ISBN 90-04-12945-6.
- ISBN 0-19-820680-1.
- ISBN 0-299-09144-9.
- ISBN 0-86091-710-X.
- ^ a b c d Jedidiah Morse. A Compendious and Complete System of Modern Geography: or, A View of the Present State of the World. Thomas and Andrews. p. 503.
- ^ Henri Bresc (in Un monde mediteranéen) claims that Sicily was relegated to being an agricultural satellite for wealthier northern Italian cities, and sees the Sicilian people as an early proletariat
- ^ Backman, The Decline and Fall of Medieval Sicily, 1995.
- ^ Epstein, An Island for Itself: Economic Development and Social Change in Late Medieval Sicily, (2003).
- ISBN 0-8386-3306-4.
- ISBN 0-471-25210-7.
- ^ Metcalfe, Alex. Muslims and Christians in Norman Sicily: Arabic Speakers and the End of Islam (2003).
- ISBN 0771037260.
- ^ a b The best discussion of the fate of Sicilian Muslims can be found in Julie Taylor, Muslims in Medieval Italy: The Colony at Lucera (2003), but is also discussed in Alex Metcalfe, The Muslims of Medieval Italy (2009).
Sources
- Abulafia, David. Frederick II: A Medieval Emperor, 1988.
- Abulafia, David. The Two Italies: Economic Relations between the Kingdom of Sicily and the Northern Communes, Cambridge University Press, 1977.
- Abulafia, David. The Western Mediterranean Kingdoms 1200–1500: The Struggle for Dominion, Longman, 1997. (a political history)
- Alio, Jacqueline. Queens of Sicily 1061-1266: The Queens Consort, Regent and Regnant of the Norman-Swabian Era of the Kingdom of Sicily, Trinacria, 2018.
- Aubé, Pierre. «Les Empires normands d'Orient, XIe-XIIIe siècles», Paris, rééd. Perrin, 2006.
- Aubé, Pierre. «Roger II de Sicile. Un Normand en Méditerranée», Paris 2001, rééd. Perrin, 2006.
- Johns, Jeremy. Arabic administration in Norman Sicily : the royal dīwān, Cambridge University Press, 2002.
- Mallette, Karla (2011). The Kingdom of Sicily, 1100-1250: A Literary History. University of Pennsylvania Press.
- Mendola, Louis. The Kingdom of Sicily 1130-1266: The Norman-Swabian Age and the Identity of a People, Trinacria Editions, New York, 2021.
- Metcalfe, Alex. Muslims and Christians in Norman Sicily: Arabic Speakers and the End of Islam, Routledge, 2002.
- Metcalfe, Alex. The Muslims of Medieval Italy, 2009.
- Norwich, John Julius. Sicily: An Island at the Crossroads of History, 2015.
- Runciman, Steven. The Sicilian Vespers: A History of the Mediterranean World in the Late 13th Century, Cambridge University Press, 1958.