Sicilian Succussion Crisis Flashcards
What role did the papacy play in Sicilian succession crises?
Q: What was the relationship between the Kingdom of Sicily and the Holy Roman Empire?
A: Often intertwined through marriage and shared claims.
Q: How did the Norman legacy shape the Kingdom of Sicily?
A: Established a foundation for governance blending Norman, Arab, and Byzantine influences.
Key Monarchs
Q: Which monarch’s reign marked the height of Norman Sicily?
A: Roger II (r. 1130–1154).
Q: Who was the last Hohenstaufen King of Sicily?
A: Manfred (r. 1258–1266).
Q: Who was the first Angevin King of Sicily?
A: Charles I (r. 1266–1282).
Q: Who was the first Aragonese King of Sicily?
A: Peter III of Aragon (r. 1282–1285).
Q: Which monarch unified Sicily with Spain?
A: Ferdinand II of Aragon.
Key Marriages and Alliances
Q: What marriage united Sicily with the Holy Roman Empire?
A: Constance of Sicily to Henry VI.
Q: What was the significance of Peter III’s marriage to Constance of Sicily?
A: Gave Aragon a legitimate claim to the Sicilian throne.
Q: How did Eleanor of Anjou’s marriage to Frederick III impact succession?
A: Strengthened Aragonese control in Sicily.
Q: What strategic alliance did Roger II make through his daughters?
A: Married into the Holy Roman Empire and French nobility.
Q: What was the Treaty of Caltabellotta’s main outcome?
A: It split Sicily into two entities, reducing Angevin claims to Naples.
Frequently intervened to support or oppose claimants to control the kingdom.
Who was the first King of Sicily?
Q: How did Roger II secure the crown of Sicily?
A: He was crowned by antipope Anacletus II in 1130.
Q: What was Roger II’s heritage?
A: Son of Count Roger I of Sicily and Adelaide del Vasto.
Q: What was one major tactic Roger II used to consolidate his power?
A: Strategic marriages, including his daughter Constance marrying Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI.
Q: What caused the Kingdom of Sicily’s first succession crisis?
A: Roger II’s grandson, William II, died childless in 1189.
Q: Who succeeded William II, causing conflict?
A: Tancred of Lecce, an illegitimate cousin, took the throne, leading to a crisis.
Q: Who contested Tancred’s claim to the throne?
A: Henry VI, the Holy Roman Emperor, who claimed the throne through his wife, Constance.
Q: Why was Constance of Sicily significant?
A: She was the legitimate heiress to the Sicilian throne and the last member of the Hauteville dynasty.
Q: How did Henry VI secure Sicily?
A: He invaded Sicily after Tancred’s death and was crowned in 1194.
The Hohenstaufen Dynasty (1194–1266)
Q: Who was Frederick II, and why is he famous?
A: Son of Henry VI and Constance, crowned King of Sicily in 1198 and Holy Roman Emperor in 1220.
Q: How did Frederick II’s minority cause instability in Sicily?
A: His young age led to regency disputes among the nobility and papal interference.
Q: What event exacerbated the succession crisis after Frederick II’s death?
A: His son Conrad IV faced resistance from Pope Innocent IV, who supported rival claimants.
Q: What major papal policy affected Sicily during the Hohenstaufen rule?
A: The papacy opposed the Hohenstaufens, fearing their power would encircle the Papal States.
Q: Who did Pope Innocent IV name as King of Sicily in 1254?
A: Edmund Crouchback, son of Henry III of England.
Q: Why did the papal plan to install Edmund fail?
A: Manfred, Frederick II’s illegitimate son, claimed the throne and maintained Hohenstaufen control.
Q: How did the Hohenstaufen rule in Sicily end?
A: Charles of Anjou defeated Manfred at the Battle of Benevento in 1266.
The Angevin Dynasty (1266–1282)
Q: Who was Charles of Anjou?
A: Brother of King Louis IX of France, installed as King of Sicily by papal support.
Q: What event marked the fall of Angevin rule in Sicily?
A: The Sicilian Vespers in 1282, a rebellion against Charles I’s oppressive rule.
Q: What caused the Sicilian Vespers rebellion?
A: High taxation and French dominance over local Sicilian affairs.
Q: Who took over Sicily after the Vespers?
A: Peter III of Aragon, claiming the throne through his wife, Constance, daughter of Manfred.
The Aragonese Dynasty (1282–1410)
Q: What major succession issue arose in 1295?
A: Peace negotiations led to the Treaty of Anagni, dividing Sicily and Naples but leaving Sicily under Aragonese control.
Q: Who became King of Sicily in 1296?
A: Frederick III of Aragon, resisting papal efforts to restore Angevin rule.
Q: What was the War of the Sicilian Vespers?
A: A prolonged conflict between the Angevin and Aragonese claims to Sicily.
Q: What marriage helped secure Aragonese control of Sicily?
A: The marriage of Frederick III to Eleanor of Anjou.
Q: How did the Aragonese manage succession disputes in Sicily?
A: Through intermarriage with other European dynasties to strengthen alliances.
Roger II (r. 1130–1154).
How did Roger II expand his rule to establish the Kingdom?
A: He unified the Norman territories in Southern Italy and annexed the Duchy of Apulia and Calabria.
Q: Why was Roger II’s marriage to Elvira of Castile significant?
A: It secured alliances with Christian powers in Spain and enhanced Norman legitimacy as defenders of Christendom.
Q: How did Roger II consolidate his rule after his coronation?
A: He suppressed rebellious barons and centralized administration through a multicultural bureaucracy.
Q: What was the significance of Roger II’s public coronation?
A: It symbolized divine approval of his rule, strengthening his claim against rival Christian powers.
Q: How did Roger II’s administration reflect cultural blending?
A: He integrated Norman, Arab, and Byzantine influences into his court and legal systems.
Q: When did Roger II die, and who succeeded him?
A: Roger II died in 1154 and was succeeded by his son, William I (r. 1154–1166).
Q: Why was William I of Sicily nicknamed ‘the Bad’?
A: His reign was marked by revolts from the nobility and opposition from the papacy.
Q: How did William I secure his reign despite unrest?
A: He signed the Treaty of Benevento (1156) with Pope Adrian IV, which confirmed Norman rule in Southern Italy.
Q: Who succeeded William I?
A: His son, William II (r. 1166–1189), nicknamed ‘the Good.’
Q: What was William II’s most notable diplomatic achievement?
A: His marriage to Joan of England, sister of Richard the Lionheart, which allied Sicily with England.
Q: Why did William II’s lack of an heir lead to a succession crisis?
A: His death in 1189 left the throne open to competing claims, including Tancred of Lecce and Henry VI of the Holy Roman Empire.
Q: Who was Tancred of Lecce?
A: An illegitimate cousin of William II who claimed the throne after his death.
Q: What major event undermined Tancred’s rule?
A: Henry VI, married to Constance of Sicily, invaded Sicily in 1194 and claimed the throne.
Q: Why was Constance of Sicily’s marriage to Henry VI significant?
A: It provided a direct link between the Hohenstaufen dynasty and the Sicilian throne, justifying Henry’s invasion.
Q: What happened to Constance after Henry VI’s invasion?
A: She became Queen of Sicily in 1194, giving birth to Frederick II shortly thereafter.
Q: What was the significance of Frederick II’s birth in 1194?
A: His birth solidified the Hohenstaufen claim to the Sicilian throne and was celebrated as a moment of dynastic stability.
Who was Charles of Anjou, and what role did he play in Sicilian history?
Q: What role did Eleanor of Provence play in Sicilian succession disputes?
A: As the wife of Henry III of England, her potential alliances with the Sicilian nobility complicated Angevin claims.
Q: What was the relationship between the papacy and the Norman kings?
A: While the Normans initially supported the papacy, tensions arose over control of Southern Italy and Sicily.
Q: How did the coronation of William I in 1154 impact Norman rule?
A: It marked the continuation of Roger II’s centralized policies but also triggered resistance from the nobility.
Q: Why was the Treaty of Benevento (1156) important for the Kingdom of Sicily?
A: It secured papal recognition of William I’s rule and established peace with the papacy after years of conflict.
Q: What role did Joanna of England play in Norman Sicilian politics?
A: As Queen of Sicily and a member of the Plantagenet dynasty, she strengthened ties with England and influenced international alliances.
Q: Why was the birth of Frederick II heralded as a major event?
A: It ensured the continuation of the Hohenstaufen line and reinforced claims to both Sicily and the Holy Roman Empire.
Q: What were the consequences of Charles of Anjou’s conquest for Sicily?
A: It led to increased French influence, heavy taxation, and eventual rebellion through the Sicilian Vespers.
Charles was the brother of King Louis IX of France and a papal ally who invaded Sicily, defeating Manfred at the Battle of Benevento in 1266.
How did Sicily’s strategic location influence its succession crises?
Its position in the Mediterranean made it a target for European powers.
Why did the papacy oppose Manfred’s rule?
Manfred was viewed as a usurper and a threat to papal influence in Italy, prompting Pope Urban IV to invite Charles of Anjou to claim the throne.
Why did Manfred of Sicily’s claim face resistance?
His illegitimacy and papal opposition to Hohenstaufen rule.
How did the marriage alliances of the Norman kings secure their rule?
Strategic marriages, such as Roger II’s union with Elvira of Castile, aligned Sicily with powerful Christian states and reinforced legitimacy.
What were the consequences of Frederick II’s excommunications for Sicily?
It weakened Hohenstaufen legitimacy and allowed the papacy to rally support for rival claimants.
Why did Pope Innocent IV oppose the Hohenstaufen dynasty?
He sought to diminish imperial influence in Italy and viewed the Hohenstaufens as adversaries to Church authority.
How did Frederick II’s cultural policies strengthen Sicilian identity?
He promoted a diverse court culture, supporting Latin, Greek, and Arab scholars and making Sicily a center of intellectual life.
