• Sicilian Vespers Revolt

    The Sicilian Vespers are one of the Isle of Sicily’s most famous historical events. In the years leading up to the start of the revolt, a struggle had broken out between the House of Hohenstafen and the Papacy in Rome over the control of Italy. The former ruled Germany and claimed authority over most of northern Italy; the Papal States were situated between Northern Italy and the Island of Sicily in the south. Pope Innocent IV had declared Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, the head of the House of Hohenstafen as deposed and raised opposition against him within Germany and Italy. When Frederick died in 1250 his lands were inherited…

  • The Anarchy

    The period between 1135 and 1154 was a time of huge unrest in England, a Civil War which Victorian historians would later name The Anarchy. On December 1st 1135 King Henry I of England fell ill and died whilst on campaign in Normandy, supposedly after eating vast quantities of Lamprey, although poison has also been suggested as a possible cause. His only legitimate male heir, William Adelin had perished in The White Ship tragedy, 15 years earlier, and despite Henry’s hasty remarriage to Adeliza of Louvain (The King’s first wife Queen Matilda had died in 1118), no more male heirs would follow. This left only a daughter, Matilda, who had…

  • THE MURDER OF KING RUFUS (WILLIAM II OF ENGLAND)

    William was born in 1056, the third son of William the Conqueror, he was more commonly referred to as William the Red or William Rufus due to his rugged red appearance. He was never married nor did he have any children, legitimate or otherwise. When William I died in 1087 he left his title and lands in Normandy to his eldest son Robert. He left England to his favourite son William. His second son had died in a hunting accident in the New Forest, something of a deadly trend in this family as his grandson also died some years later in the New Forest. In September 1087 William Rufus was…