The Normans and the kingdom of the Two Sicilies

1091: The Normans were a tribe from northern Europe, which came from Denmark and Norway. The word Norman can be translated with “Man of the North”. In the year 1000 many Pilgrims came through southern Italy on their journey back from Jerusalem. They helped the people to fight against the Arabs and for their services land was given to them. More and more Normans settled there and after several years they set over to Sicily and conquered the island, which was under Muslim control.

Under Roger II the Normans united Sicily with the lower part of Italy and they founded the kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Under the rule of the Normans the kingdom of Sicily became one of the richest states in Europe. King Willhelm II was the last norman king on the throne of Sicily, he died without a son. With his death the German Hohenstaufen dynasty began.