Sicilian Vespers

Part of Guelphs and Ghibellines
and War of the Sicilian Vespers

Sicilian Vespers (1846), by Francesco Hayez

Date	30 March - 28 April 1282
Location	Sicily
Result	Sicilian victory Anjou rule overthrown

Belligerents

Manfred, King of Sicily with Sicilian rebels

Guelfs, Holy Roman Empire

Capetian House of Anjou, Ghibellines

Commanders and leaders

Ruggiero Mastrangelo
Arrigo Barresi
Nicoloso d'Ortoleva
Niccolo d'Ebdemonia

Charles I of Anjou
Jean de Saint-Remy †

Casualties and losses

4,000 killed

The Sicilian Vespers (Italian: Vespri siciliani; Sicilian: Vespiri siciliani) is the name given to the successful rebellion on the island of Sicily that broke out at Easter, 1282 against the rule of the French-born king Charles I, who had ruled the Kingdom of Sicily since 1266. Within six weeks, three thousand French men and women were slain by the rebels, and the government of King Charles lost control of the island. It was the beginning of the War of the Sicilian Vespers.

The rising had its origin in the struggle between the Pope and the Hohenstaufen dynasty, Holy Roman Emperors for control over Italy, especially the Church's private demesne known as the Papal States. These lay between Hohenstaufen lands in northern Italy and the Hohenstaufen Kingdom of Sicily in the south; the Hohenstaufen also at the time ruled Germany.

In 1245 Pope Innocent IV declared Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor deposed, and roused opposition to him in Germany and Italy. When Frederick died in 1250, his dominion was inherited by his son, Conrad IV of Germany. A period of turmoil followed Conrad's death in 1254, and the Kingdom of Sicily was seized by Manfred, King of Sicily, Frederick's natural son, who reigned from 1258 to 1266.

Manfred had no involvement in German politics, where the interregnum lasted longer and there was no emperor until 1274. He first styled himself as vicar of his nephew Conradin, Conrad's son. However, following a false rumour that Conradin was dead, Manfred later had himself crowned as king. He wished for a reconciliation with the papacy, which may have explained his support for the landless Baldwin II, Latin Emperor. However, Pope Urban IV and later Pope Clement IV were not prepared to recognize Manfred as lawful ruler of Sicily and first excommunicated then sought to depose him by force of arms.

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Wikipedia