Kingdom of Sicily (jan 1, 1137 – jan 1, 1282)

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In 1136, Pope Innocent II, rival of King Antipope Anacletus II of Sicily, convinced Holy Roman Emperor Lothair III to attack the Kingdom of Sicily with the help of Byzantine Emperor John II Comnenus. Last of the independent southern Italian states, Sergius VII of Naples was forced to surrender to Roger II of Sicily in 1137. Little independence was left to the city. In 1139, Innocent excommunicated Roger for maintaining a schismatic attitude, but Roger ambushed and captured him, forcing him to acknowledge Roger's kingship and possessions. The Normas were the first to bring political unity to southern Italy in centuries. Roger II conquered the littoral of Ifriqiya from the Zirids, and his fleet attacked the Byzantine empire, making Sicily a leading maritime power in the Mediterranean for almost a century. In this period, Naples got its sustenance from the inland country, while commerce activities were mainly delegated to foreign people mainly from Pisa and Genoa. Roger's son and successor after his death in 1154, William I (the Bad) of Sicily, lost most of his African possessions through revolts, and his reign ended in peace in 1166. His son, William II, is remembered for two decades of continuous peace and prosperity. However, he had no issue, and on his death in 1189 the Kingdom of Sicily became embroiled in a succession dispute.

Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI invaded Sicily in 1191, and many cities fell but Naples stood firm. A second campaign in 1194 won Sicily, including Naples without battle, for Henry VI. Naples was put under the rule of the Hohenstaufens. The Hohenstaufen's grip on power was not secure, with wars occurring until 1207. Frederick II led many law reforms, and had to beat off a papal invasion of Sicily. After his death in 1250 Conrad IV of Germany ruled, followed by Conrad II, who was too young, and Manfred of Sicily, illegitimate son of Frederick, took power. In 1266 after the defeat of Manfred Hohenstaufen, Pope Clement IV assigned Naples to Charles of Anjou.

After the Sicilian Vespers of 1284, the kingdom was split in two, with an Aragonese king ruling the island of Sicily and the Angevin king ruling the mainland portion. Charles I of Sicily was forced to leave the island of Sicily by Aragonese troops, but maintained his mainland possessions. Both kingdoms called themselves the Kingdom of Sicily, but the mainland portion was commonly referred to as the Kingdom of Naples.

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