u/jackt-up

This is an underrated chapter of medieval history that I’m pursuing knowledge in. I would appreciate any deeper analysis or sources you may have.

As someone whose expertise is more so within the Early Modern Period, I’m well versed with the Kingdom of Naples, the later Two Sicilies, etc, and their frequent exchanges between the Bourbons, Habsburgs, and Napoleon.

I’m familiar with the Sicilian Vespers itself, with Charles I of Anjou’s desires to create a Franco-Italian Mediterranean sister state / empire, with his adventurism in the collapsed Latin Empire, Africa, and mainland Italy, in alliance with the Pope.

What I wasn’t familiar with was the Aragonese Crusade and the larger naval war that lasted twenty years between France and Aragon. I knew they ended up with the island but I didn’t know Aragon had to deal with all of that.

Also, it’s amazing that a cadet branch of the Capetians, the Capetian House of Anjou, is able to actually rule Naples, Achaea, and even Hungary for like 100 years after this.

This explains the Italian Wars (1494-1559) and the general fear of the Italians towards France during the Renaissance.

Really, if you think about it, it’s not much more centralized than the HRE until we get to Philip II Augustus.