Roger II of Sicily

"Roger II" redirects here. For the Viscount of Carcassonne, see Roger II Trencavel.

Roger II
Detail of a mosaic showing Roger II (Rogerios Rex in Greek letters) receiving the crown from Jesus Christ (IC), Martorana, Palermo.
Count of Sicily
Reign1105 – 27 September 1130
PredecessorSimon
King of Sicily
Reign27 September 1130 – 26 February 1154
Coronation25 December 1130
SuccessorWilliam I
Born22 December 1095
Mileto (Calabria)
Died26 February 1154(1154-02-26) (aged 58)
Palermo, Kingdom of Sicily
Burial
Cathedral of Palermo, Sicily
Spouse
Issue
Among others
HouseHauteville
FatherRoger I of Sicily
MotherAdelaide del Vasto

Roger II or Roger the Great (Italian: Ruggero II, Sicilian: Ruggeru II, Greek: Ρογέριος; 22 December 1095[1] – 26 February 1154) was King of Sicily and Africa,[2] son of Roger I of Sicily and successor to his brother Simon. He began his rule as Count of Sicily in 1105, became Duke of Apulia and Calabria in 1127, then King of Sicily in 1130 and King of Africa in 1148.[3]

  1. ^ Houben 2002, p. 30.
  2. ^ Abulafia, "Norman Kingdom", 41: Dominus noster Sycilie et Ytalie nec non et tocius Africe serenissimus et invictissimus rex a Deo coronatus pius felix triumphator semper augustus. The definitive source of Sicilian diplomas is K.A. Kehr, Die Urkunden der normannisch-sizilischen Könige (Innsbruck, 1902).
  3. ^ Abulafia, "Norman Kingdom", 35, quoting Ibn al-Athīr.