The French in the Kingdom of Sicily, 1266-1305
By Jean Dunbabin (Author of Charles I of Anjou: Power, Kingship and State-Making in Thirteenth Century Europe)
Available March 31, 2011
Hardcover (328 pages)
Cambridge University Press;
1 edition
English
Synopsis
Charles of Anjou's conquest of the Sicilian Regno in 1266 transformed relations between France and the kingdom of Sicily. This original study of contact and exchange in the middle ages explores the significance of the many cultural, religious and political exchanges between the two countries, arguing that the links were more diverse and stronger than simply the rulers' family connections. Jean Dunbabin shows how influence flowed as much from south to north as vice versa, and that France was strongly influenced by the experiences of those who returned after years of fighting in the Regno. As well as considering the experiences of notable crusading families, she sheds new light on the career of Robert II d'Artois, who virtually ruled the Regno for six years before returning to France to remodel the government of Artois. This comparative history of two societies offers an important new perspective on medieval Western Europe.
Description
This original study explores the significance of the many cultural, religious and political exchanges between France and the kingdom of Sicily after Charles of Anjou's conquest of the Sicilian Regno in 1266. It offers an important new perspective on contact and exchange in medieval Western Europe.
