Home > William I of Sicily

He was the fourth son of Roger II and Elvira Alfonso of Castile , and grew up with little expectation of ruling. The deaths of his 3 older brothers between 1138 and 1148 changed matters, though when his father died William was still not well-prepared to take his place.

William's title "the Bad" seems little merited and expresses the bias of the historian Falcandus and the baronial class against the king and the official class by whom he was guided. It is obvious, however, that William was far inferior in character and energy to his father, and was attached to the semi-Muslim life of his gorgeous palaces of Palermo.

The real power in the kingdom was at first exercised by Maio of Bari , a man of low birth, whose title ammiratus ammiratorum was the highest in the realm. Maio continued Roger's policy of excluding the nobles from the administration, and sought also to curtail the liberties of the towns. The barons, always chafing against the royal power, were encouraged to revolt by Pope Adrian IV, whose recognition William had not yet sought, by the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Comnenus and the German emperor Frederick I.

At the end of 1155 Greek troops recovered Bari and began to besiege Brindisi. William, however, was not devoid of military energy; landing in Italy he destroyed the Greek fleet and army at Brindisi ( May 28, 1156) and recovered Bari. Adrian came to terms at Benevento ( June 18June 18 is the 169th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (170th in leap years), with 196 days remaining. Events 1178 Five Canterbury monks see what was possibly the Giordano Bruno crater being formed. It is believed that the current oscillations of), abandoned the rebels and confirmed William as king, and in 1158Events January 11 Vladislav II becomes King of Bohemia End of the formal reign of Emperor Go-Shirakawa of Japan, also the beginning of his cloistered rule, which will last to his death in 1192. Emperor Nijo ascends to the throne of Japan. British Pound St peace was made with the Greeks.

These diplomatic successes were probably due to Maio; on the other hand, the African dominions were lost to the AlmohadThe Almohad Dynasty (From Arabic al-Muwahhidun i. the monotheists" or "the Unitarians," the name being corrupted through the Spanish), a Berber Muslim religious power which founded the fifth Moorish dynasty in the 12th century, and conquered all northerns (1156-1160), and it is possible that he advised their abandonment in face of the dangers threatening the kingdom down from the north. The policy of the minister led to a general conspiracy, and in November 1160Events Erik den helige is succeeded by Karl Sverkersson. See Swedish monarchs. Heiji Rebellion in Japan Yasovarman II succeeds his uncle Dharanindravarman as ruler of the Khmer Empire. Dharanindravarman's son Jayavarman, acquieses to his cousin's successi he was murdered in Palermo by Matthew Bonello , leader of the Sicilian nobles.

For a while the king was in the hands of the conspirators, who purposed murdering or deposing him, but the people and the army rallied round him; he recovered power, crushed the Sicilian rebels, had Bonello blinded, and in a short campaign reduced the rest of the Regno. Thus freed from feudal revolts, William confided the government to men trained in Maio's school, such as the grand notary, Matthew d'Agello . His latter years were peaceful; he was now the champion of the true pope against the emperor, and Alexander IIIAlexander III ne Orlando Bandinelli (d. August 3, 1181), was pope from 1159 to 1181. He was born in Siena, and first made his mark as teacher of canon law at the University of Bologna, where he composed the Stroma or the Summa Magistri Rolandi one of the was installed in the Lateran PalaceFrom the beginning of the 4th Century, when it was given to the Pope by Constantine, the Palace of the Lateran was the principal residence of the Popes, and continued so for about a thousand years. In the 10th Century Sergius III restored it after a disas in November 1165Events November 23 Pope Alexander III enters Rome. Emperor Rokujo ascends to the throne of Japan. He is one year old. William I becomes King of Scotland. Andronicus I escapes from prison. Henry II of England begins affair with Rosamund Clifford. Moslems t by a guard of Normans. William died on May 7, 1166.

William married Margaret of Navarre, daughter of Garcia IV Ramirez of Navarre . They had 4 sons:

• Roger (d. 1161), duke of Apulia
• Robert
• William II of Sicily
• Henry (d. 1172), prince of Capua

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica. 1911 Britannica