Roger II and the Creation of the Kingdom of Sicily

About Roger II and the Creation of the Kingdom of Sicily

Graham A. Loud's authoritative volume, "Roger II and the Creation of the Kingdom of Sicily," offers an unparalleled insight into the foundational years of one of medieval Europe's most advanced and centralised states. This essential resource brings together the first-ever English translations of key narrative sources and relevant documents detailing the reign of Roger II, the visionary founder of the Kingdom of Sicily. Readers will delve into the complex and often fraught struggle as King Roger sought to expand his dominion from the island of Sicily and Calabria across the south Italian mainland, a critical period spanning from 1127 to 1140.

The book vividly portrays the challenges and triumphs of Roger II's rule, illuminating his intricate relationship with the papacy and the dramatic German invasion of 1137, which nearly brought his nascent kingdom to its knees. It further explores the strategic expansion of Sicilian power into the Abruzzi in 1140 and examines the innovative legal and administrative systems that made the Kingdom of Sicily a model for effective twelfth-century government. For students and scholars alike, this collection of previously untranslated historical sources provides an invaluable window into the genesis of a powerful medieval kingdom and the remarkable figure who forged it.

Key Details

• Author: Graham A. Loud
• Publisher: Manchester University Press
• Format: Hardback, 408 pages
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• ISBN: 9780719082016

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