alfieb
02-26-2013, 07:02 AM
http://www.nobledynasty.com/Manfred%20rowned.jpg
Manfredi, King of Sicily (1258-1266)
Fidiricu I of Sicily, the Holy Roman Emperor, died in 1250, after being king for over a half a century. He was succeeded by his son Curradu I, who only reigned for a few years before himself dying and being succeeded by his young child son Curradu II, or "Curradinu" (little Curradu).
Fidiricu had, in his lifetime, legitimized a bastard son, Manfredi, who created rumors that Curradinu had died, and seized the throne for himself. In truth, Curradinu was alive and well in Germany, but Manfredi reigned for eight years from 1258-1266. He had been excommunicated by the Pope in 1262, and Pope Urban IV invited a French prince, Charles of Anjou to take over Sicily.
At Benevento, in February of 1266, Charles slew Manfredi on the battlefield and seized the crown of Sicily.
In the meanwhile, Curradinu was indeed still alive, aged fourteen, and with his uncle dead, he rode through Germany and Northern Italy, raising an army with the goal of "re" claiming his rightful kingdom. They fought for two years, before he met Charles in Abbruzzu and the two armies fought at the decisive Battle of Tagghiacozzu, which Charles won. Curradinu was captured, locked in prison briefly, and then executed by beheading for "treason" by Charles and his French army in October of 1268.
Less than fifteen years later, Sicily would revolt against Charles' tyrannical rule, inviting Custanza, the only daughter of Manfredi, who was the wife of the King of Aragon, to return to Sicily as Queen. The combined Aragonese-Sicilian armies managed to keep Charles and his successors out, and the island would never again be conquered until the invasion of Garibaldi in 1860. Even Napoleon himself was unable to invade Sicily, while he did conquer Malta and Naples.
Parallels with the end of the Norman era:
Manfred and Tancred were both bastards who became king
The deaths of Manfred and Tancred both brought the kingdom into great chaos and warfare
Sicilian princesses, each named Constance, were married to foreign kings when their male-line relatives died out, both Constances became queens of Sicily, and both of them would provide offspring that would rule Sicily for several generations
Manfredi, King of Sicily (1258-1266)
Fidiricu I of Sicily, the Holy Roman Emperor, died in 1250, after being king for over a half a century. He was succeeded by his son Curradu I, who only reigned for a few years before himself dying and being succeeded by his young child son Curradu II, or "Curradinu" (little Curradu).
Fidiricu had, in his lifetime, legitimized a bastard son, Manfredi, who created rumors that Curradinu had died, and seized the throne for himself. In truth, Curradinu was alive and well in Germany, but Manfredi reigned for eight years from 1258-1266. He had been excommunicated by the Pope in 1262, and Pope Urban IV invited a French prince, Charles of Anjou to take over Sicily.
At Benevento, in February of 1266, Charles slew Manfredi on the battlefield and seized the crown of Sicily.
In the meanwhile, Curradinu was indeed still alive, aged fourteen, and with his uncle dead, he rode through Germany and Northern Italy, raising an army with the goal of "re" claiming his rightful kingdom. They fought for two years, before he met Charles in Abbruzzu and the two armies fought at the decisive Battle of Tagghiacozzu, which Charles won. Curradinu was captured, locked in prison briefly, and then executed by beheading for "treason" by Charles and his French army in October of 1268.
Less than fifteen years later, Sicily would revolt against Charles' tyrannical rule, inviting Custanza, the only daughter of Manfredi, who was the wife of the King of Aragon, to return to Sicily as Queen. The combined Aragonese-Sicilian armies managed to keep Charles and his successors out, and the island would never again be conquered until the invasion of Garibaldi in 1860. Even Napoleon himself was unable to invade Sicily, while he did conquer Malta and Naples.
Parallels with the end of the Norman era:
Manfred and Tancred were both bastards who became king
The deaths of Manfred and Tancred both brought the kingdom into great chaos and warfare
Sicilian princesses, each named Constance, were married to foreign kings when their male-line relatives died out, both Constances became queens of Sicily, and both of them would provide offspring that would rule Sicily for several generations