War of the Sicilian Vespers

Quick Facts: Who was War of the Sicilian Vespers?

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War of the Sicilian Vespers

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A protracted conflict (1282-1302) over the control and succession rights to the Kingdom of Sicily.

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Origins & Early Life

The War of the Sicilian Vespers, also shortened to the War of the Vespers, was a conflict waged by several medieval European kingdoms over control of Sicily from 1282 to 1302. The war, which started with the revolt of the Sicilian Vespers, was fought over competing dynastic claims to the throne of Sicily and grew to involve the Crown of Aragon, Angevin Kingdom of Naples, Kingdom of France, and the papacy. Initially fought between Sicilian rebels and Charles of Anjou in Sicily and Southern Italy, the war expanded when Peter of Aragon intervened in Sicily to support the rebels and claim the throne. After Aragonese successes, the war grew into the concurrent Aragonese Crusade as the Kingdom of France intervened against Aragon in Iberia. The crusade ended in defeat, but efforts to end the war failed despite several peace treaties.

Career & Major Achievements

Aragon gave up the crown of Sicily in exchange for papal concessions in 1297, entering into an alliance with Angevin Naples and the papacy against Sicily, but the new alliance's campaign to invade Sicily saw no success. The war ended in 1302 in the Peace of Caltabellotta, by which Sicily became an independent kingdom ruled by the House of Barcelona. Marked by intermittent land engagements, decisive battles at sea, siege warfare and political maneuvering, the war resulted in the division of the old Kingdom of Sicily; the island of Sicily came to be ruled as the Kingdom of Sicily (Trinacria) under the House of Barcelona, while the Southern Italian territories of the former kingdom became the Kingdom of Naples, ruled by the House of Anjou. The Vesperan conflict led to an era of Aragonese expansion in the Western Mediterranean, as the kingdom gained suzerainty over the Kingdom of Majorca and Sardinia. Outlasting four kings and four popes, the twenty-year war showcased the decline of papal power in southern Europe and the rise of increasingly powerful kings in the late 13th century.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The island of Sicily had been ruled as a kingdom since the early 12th century, when Norman lord Roger II of Sicily conquered the island and established the Kingdom of Sicily. Strategically located in the Mediterranean, the kingdom grew to include much of southern Italy, and was considered one of the wealthiest kingdoms in Europe. Grain produced in the kingdom's lands in Sicily and southern Italy fed the northern Italian city states and the Holy Land, while the island itself served as a staging ground for several crusades. Sicily was key to the defense of Rome and the papal states, and as such the papacy considered it vital that a friendly king occupy the throne of Sicily. Diplomatic relations between the papacy and Sicily were heavily intertwined; the papacy funded the Norman invasion of Sicily, had sanctioned the establishment of the kingdom, and the king of Sicily officially ruled as a vassal in the name of the pope.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1282: 1282 Milestone — The War of the Sicilian Vespers, also shortened to the War of the Vespers, was a conflict waged by several medieval European kingdoms over control of Sicily from 1282 to 1302.
2. 1297: 1297 Milestone — Aragon gave up the crown of Sicily in exchange for papal concessions in 1297, entering into an alliance with Angevin Naples and the papacy against Sicily, but the new alliance's campaign to invade Sicily saw no success.
3. 1302: 1302 Milestone — The war ended in 1302 in the Peace of Caltabellotta, by which Sicily became an independent kingdom ruled by the House of Barcelona.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: War of the Sicilian Vespers

True or False: “The War of the Sicilian Vespers was solely fought between the Crown of Aragon and the Angevin Kingdom of Naples.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The conflict involved multiple major powers, including the Papacy, the Kingdom of France, and various local Sicilian factions.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Llywelyn ap Gruffudd — Historical peer (Died in 1282) (1282): The last native Prince of Gwynedd, who claimed the title of Prince of Wales.
• Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor — Historical peer (Born in 1282) (1282): Holy Roman Emperor, last Bavarian king of Germany, known for conflicts with the Papacy.
• Cimabue — Historical peer (Died in 1302) (1302): Pioneering Italian painter who transitioned art from Byzantine to Proto-Renaissance styles.
• Emperor Hanazono — Historical peer (Born in 1297) (1297): The 95th Emperor of Japan, whose reign spanned the years 1308 to 1318.

Frequently Asked Questions about War of the Sicilian Vespers