Kings of Sicily

There were only a few truly Sicilian Kings. Roger II was the first crowned king around 1130 between the 100 year period after the crusaders conquered Jerusalem and before they sacked Constantinople.  He descended from the Norman de Hauteville dynasty which arrived in Italy as knights early in the eleventh century.  During his reign he administered Sicily, rather than engaged in wars, which might account for the time being called the "Golden Age of Sicily." He was very well educated and tolerant of various religions. Married 3 times, he also kept a haram. By his first wife, Elvira, his 4th son William inherited the throne.

William married Margaret of Navarre and had 4 sons. William I did not have as successful a reign as his father due to wars and attempted coups. The barons of Sicily were encouraged to revolt by Pope Adrian IV and by the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Comnenus and by The Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I. This resulted in wars from 1155-1160 which was followed by internal uprisings. The king and his family were captured during an attempted coup by his illegitimate half brother, SImon and nephew, Tancred. During this assault on the palace, the King's oldest son, Roger, who the baron's wanted for king, was killed. When returned to power by the support of the army and the people, he crushed the rebels and the remainder of his reign was peaceful. He died in 1166. By this time only two sons were living, William and Henry, Prince of Capua.

His son, King William II was married to Joan, daughter of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine,  as well as sister to Richard the Lionheart. She was 11 years old when she was betrothed to him. They had no children. When William died in 1189, his then 24 year-old queen was taken hostage by the same illegitimate nephew, Tancred, who seized the throne. Richard the Lionheart came to Joan's rescue and she eventually returned to England. Off to the Crusades, Richard left Tancred with power over Sicily but his succession was short-lived. When William's Aunt Constance and her husband Henry VI, were crowned emperor and empress, the two together took an army back to Sicily and eliminated the reign of Tancred. It is said that Tancred's heir, William III, who was just a child at the time, was castrated and blinded. That should take care of those pesky claims to the throne!