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The Normans in Sicily

This series chronicles the remarkable saga of Norman adventurers who conquered Sicily in the 11th century. Follow the rise of the House of Hauteville, particularly Robert Guiscard, a medieval figure of immense ambition and military prowess. Discover their dramatic campaigns against Saracen rulers and their pivotal role in shaping a cosmopolitan kingdom whose legacy endures.

The Kingdom in the Sun, 1130-1194
The Normans in Sicily
The Normans in the South 1016-1130 : The Normans in Sicily Volume I

Recommended Reading Order

  1. 1

    Chronicling the 'other Norman invasion', The Normans in the South is the epic story of the House of Hauteville, and in particular Robert Guiscard, perhaps the most extraordinary European adventurer between the times of Caesar and Napoleon. In one year, 1084, he had both the Eastern and Western Emperors retreating before him and one of the most formidable of medieval Popes in his power. His brother, Roger, helped him to conquer Sicily from the Saracens, and his nephew Roger II went on to create the cosmopolitan kingdom whose remaining monuments still dazzle us today. The Normans in the South is the first of two volumes that recount an extraordinary chapter in Italian history.

    The Normans in the South 1016-1130 : The Normans in Sicily Volume I
  2. 2

    When on Christmas Day, 1130, Roger de Hauteville was crowned first King of Sicily, the island entered a golden age. In this second volume of John Julius Norwich's scintillating history of the Normans in Sicily, Norwich describes the 'happiest and most glorious chapter of the island's history.'

    The Kingdom in the Sun, 1130-1194
  • This omnibus volume is made up of John Julius Norwich's first two works of history published 20 years ago - The Normans in the South and The Kingdom in the Sun. The books tell the story of the dazzling Norman kingdom of Sicily founded in the 11th century by an enterprising band of adventurers from Normandy under Robert Guiscard. The state they founded was outstanding in medieval civilization.

    The Normans in Sicily