Imitatio Basilei? The Ideological and Political Construction of the Norman Kingdom of Sicily in the 12th century
By Stergios Laitsos
The Eastern Roman Empire and the Birth of the Idea of State in Europe, edited by Spyridon Flogaitis and Antoine Pantélis (London, 2005)
The Norman Kingdom of Sicily drew upon Byzantine ideas of kingship to strengthen its rule over a culturally and politically diverse population. Stergios Laitsos argues that Roger II and his successors adopted imperial terminology, imagery and ceremonies associated with the Byzantine basileus, presenting the Norman king as a divinely sanctioned ruler and the image of Christ within his own territory. This was not a claim to universal imperial authority, but a practical strategy for legitimising Norman power, appealing to the kingdom’s Greek-speaking subjects and uniting regions shaped by Byzantine, Arab and Western feudal traditions. Byzantine political language therefore played an important role in constructing a coherent royal ideology for the new Norman state.
Imitatio Basilei? The Ideological and Political Construction of the Norman Kingdom of Sicily in the 12th century
By Stergios Laitsos
The Eastern Roman Empire and the Birth of the Idea of State in Europe, edited by Spyridon Flogaitis and Antoine Pantélis (London, 2005)
The Norman Kingdom of Sicily drew upon Byzantine ideas of kingship to strengthen its rule over a culturally and politically diverse population. Stergios Laitsos argues that Roger II and his successors adopted imperial terminology, imagery and ceremonies associated with the Byzantine basileus, presenting the Norman king as a divinely sanctioned ruler and the image of Christ within his own territory. This was not a claim to universal imperial authority, but a practical strategy for legitimising Norman power, appealing to the kingdom’s Greek-speaking subjects and uniting regions shaped by Byzantine, Arab and Western feudal traditions. Byzantine political language therefore played an important role in constructing a coherent royal ideology for the new Norman state.
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We thank Stergios Laitsos for his permission to republish this article. Top Image: Detail of a mosaic showing Roger II of Sicily.
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