Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Kingdom of the Sun
The Arabs called the Normans 'wolves' because of their barbarous ferocity and the terrify-
ing speed with which they were mopping up territory on the mainland. By 1053, after six
years of mercenary activity, Robert Guiscard (c 1015-85), the Norman conquistador, had
comprehensively defeated the combined forces of the Calabrian Byzantines, the Lombards
and the papal forces at the Battle of Civitate.
Having established his supremacy, Robert turned his attentions to expanding the territor-
ies under his control. To achieve this, he had to deal with the Vatican. In return for being in-
vested with the titles of duke of Puglia and Calabria in 1059, Robert agreed to chase the
Saracens out of Sicily and restore Christianity to the island. He delegated this task - and
promised the island - to his younger brother Roger I (1031-1101), who landed his troops at
Messina in 1061, capturing the port by surprise. In 1064 Roger tried to take Palermo but
was repulsed by a well-organised Saracen army; it wasn't until Robert arrived in 1072 with
substantial reinforcements that the city fell into Norman hands.
Impressed by the island's cultured Arab lifestyle, Roger
shamelessly borrowed and improved on it, spending vast amounts
of money on palaces and churches and encouraging a cosmopolit-
an atmosphere in his court. He also wisely opted for a policy of
reconciliation with the indigenous people; Arabic and Greek con-
tinued to be spoken along with French, and Arab engineers, bur-
eaucrats and architects continued to be employed by the court. He
was succeeded by his widow, Adelasia (Adelaide), who ruled un-
til 1130 when Roger II (1095-1154) was crowned king.
Best Clas-
sical Sites
Valle dei Templi, Agrigento
Selinunte
Segesta
Parco Archeologico della Neapolis,
Syracuse
Teatro Greco, Taormina
