1060-1194
 Normans

1059 Pope Nicolò II authorises the Hauteville family of Normans (present in Calabria and Puglia) to occupy any area of Southern Italy as long as they don’t recognise the power of Constantinople.

1064 Norman Roger Hauteville invades Messina in response to a call for help from the Arabs against the Byzantines.

1071 Normans take Palermo following a six month naval blockade.

The Norman Palace in Palermo

S. Giovanni Eremiti Cathedral in Palermo

1071 onwards The Normans take possession of Sicily, but they are few so have to accept and integrate Arab administration and justice systems. They make use of Arab and Byzantine craftsmen and architects provoking a fusion of talent and leaving an incredible legacy of art and architecture.

Arabic is replaced by French and Italian and the clerical hierarchy is Latinised bringing 1,500 years of Greek influence to an end. The organisation of the land changed. The Normans introduced the West European feudalism, which in effect was a reintroduction of the latifundium.

Palatine Chapel in Palermo

The Admiral’s bridge

Many Arab architects continued to work for the Normal rulers, which led to a strange architectural style called the Arab-Norman style.
1166-1189 King William II (William the Good) establishes second archbishop seat at Monreale.
 

1189-1194 Fast decline of Norman power following divisions after the death of William II (age 36). Roger II’s aunt marries Hohenstaufen Henry.
 

The Cathedral of Cefalù