The historians' history of the world in twenty-five volumes, volume 09 : $b Italy
History
The historians' history of the world in twenty-five volumes, volume 09 : $b Italy
World history
This prince, who thus succeeded to such extensive states was dissatisfied
with the title of duke; to obtain a higher one, he lent his aid to
the anti-pope Anacletus II, who crowned him king of the Two Sicilies.
This new dignity caused him to regard the republican institutions of
Amalfi and Naples with dislike, perhaps with dread. He took the former,
abolished its privileges, and subjected it to a feudal governor. His next
step was to humble his proud barons, of whom some had too much power
always to remain peaceful. It was attended with equal success; one after
another all were subdued; but the chief, Robert, prince of Capua and
Aversa, the descendant of Drengot, was destined to give him some trouble.
Naples, though nominally subject to the Norman princes, still preserved
its own government, laws, and institutions, and was prepared to defend
them to the last extremity. It opened its gates to Robert, and thereby
afforded another stimulus to the vengeance of Roger. The republicans
obtained the aid of a fleet from Pisa; Amalfi was forced to equip
another to oppose them; the Pisans plundered Amalfi, their chief prize
being a copy of the famous _Pandects_, an accident which is said to
have changed the jurisprudence of half Europe; they were defeated, and
forced to re-embark by the king, who invested Naples more closely than
before. The besieged applied for relief to the emperor and the true pope,
Innocent II. Lothair marched in person to their aid, while a Pisan fleet
advanced by sea. The siege was raised; Robert of Capua was restored to
his principality, and the whole country as far as Bari threw off its
allegiance to the Normans.
But discord soon appeared between the pope, the emperor, and the
Pisans; their combined forces retired, and Roger had little difficulty
in regaining possession of his territories. The fate of Leo IV, a
century before, did not deter Innocent II from taking the field against
the excommunicated Normans; the result was the same; Innocent was
defeated and made prisoner, and was glad to procure his liberation by
confirming the regal title of Roger. He did more; he granted to the king
the investiture not only of Capua, but of Naples, which had hitherto
maintained something like independence, and over which he had assuredly
no control. The republic, abandoned by its allies, was constrained to
submit; the ducal crown was conferred on the king; the kingdom of the two
Sicilies was admitted into the great family of nations.
ROGER II (1138-1154 A.D.)
[Sidenote: [1138-1154 A.D.]]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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