Queens of Sicily 1061-1266: The Queens Consort, Regent and Regnant of the Norman-Swabian Era of the Kingdom of Sicily - Paperback

by Jacqueline Alio (Author)

This is the first compendium of scholarly biographies of the queens of Sicily until 1266. The multicultural Kingdom of Sicily encompassed the island itself and nearly half the Italian peninsula. In addition to the biographies, this 744-page volume includes numerous genealogical tables, detailed maps, a timeline, a lengthy bibliography, the queenly coronation rite, over 700 detailed endnotes, the lengthiest example of early court poetry (written in Sicilian around 1235), the text of the kingdom's first general legal code (of 1140), and details on treasures such as the oldest reginal crown conserved in southern Italy (shown on the cover). The result of the author's research in several countries, this monumental volume is a defining reference but also an interesting read. It adds much to the discussion of the history of Europe's medieval women.

Author Biography

Jacqueline Alio is one of Sicily's leading historians, and part of a new wave that is writing the history of Sicily's women. Over the last decade, she has been consulted by The History Channel, The Discovery Channel and other media. An accomplished medievalist, she has published the results of her original research while writing insightful articles for a general readership. Online, her articles have captivated millions, gaining her a special place as one of the Sicilian historians with the most readers around the world. In print, scholarly works like her translation of the Ferraris Chronicle have earned her kudos in academic circles. Margaret Queen of Sicily, the first biography of that regent, is the lengthiest published work of original scholarship written in English by a historian in Sicily. She co-authored the first book in English to outline the emerging field of Sicilian Studies. Her most recent book, the result of years of research, is a compendium of biographies of the queens of Sicily into the middle of the 13th century.