Roger II (c. 1095-1154), Sicily’s first king, was an anomaly for his time. An ambitious new ruler who lacked the distinguished lineage so prized by the nobility, and a leader of an extraordinarily diverse population on the fringes of Europe, he occupied a unique space in the continent’s charged political landscape. This interdisciplinary study examines the strategies that Roger used to legitimize his authority, including his relationships with contemporary rulers, the familial connections that he established through no less than three marriages, and his devotion to the Church and Saint Nicholas of Myra/Bari. Yet while Roger and his family made the most of their geographic and cultural contexts, it is convincingly argued here that they nonetheless retained a strong western focus, and that behind the diverse mélange of Norman Sicily were very occidental interests.

Drawing together sources of political, social, and religious history from locations as disparate as Spain and the Byzantine Empire, as well as evidence from the magnificent churches and elaborate mosaics constructed during his reign, this volume offers a fascinating portrait of a figure whose rule was characterized both by great potential and devastating tragedy. Indeed, had Roger been able to accomplish his ambitious agenda, the history of the medieval Mediterranean world would have unfolded very differently.

List of Illustrations

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Chapter 1. The Appeal of Alfonso VI of León-Castile’s Legacy

Chapter 2. Opportunities in the Kingdom of Jerusalem and in the Principality of Antioch

Chapter 3. The Saint’s Cult in Norman Bari, c.1071 – c.1111

Chapter 4. The Devotion of Roger II

Chapter 5. French Connections: The Significance of the Fleurs-de-Lis

Chapter 6. The Message of the Antiquated Loros

Conclusion

Brief Glossary

Bibliography

Index

“In conclusione, ci troviamo di fronte ad un volume complesso ed articolato, ma al contempo agile ed estremamente intuitivo dal punto di vista della scrittura: se da un lato vengono affrontati temi di per sé poco noti o del tutto inediti nell’ambito della trattazione storica dell’Italia meridionale normanna, dall’altro la struttura schematica e la suddivisione in macro-aree tematiche che coinvolgono i singoli capitoli fanno di questa monografia un nuovo punto di riferimento per gli studi storici del Mezzogiorno medievale.” (Raffaele Iula, in Kaklas, 2, 2020, p. 226)