Kingdom of Sicily
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Revision as of 21:28, 21 January 2008
The Kingdom of Sicily (Latin: Regnum Siciliae, Sicilian: Regnu di Sicilia, Italian: Regno di Sicilia) is a union of four crowns in the Mediterranean region of Europe. It includes the Kingdom of Trinacria (the island of Sicily), the Kingdom of Sicily (Neapolitan Kingdom encompassing southern Italy, normally referred to as the Kingdom of Naples to avoid confusion with the larger entity), the Kingdom of Sardinia (the island of Sardinia), and the County of Malta (the Maltese archipelago). The Kingdom borders the Italian Republic to the north (though it is not recognized as a legitimate state by the Sicilian government) and has two Papal enclaves inside its borders (Benevento and Pontecorvo), which represent the last remnants of the Papal States since the creation of the Italian Republic.
The Kingdom of Sicily is home to a rich culture and history which spans back to some of the earliest civilizations. It has been ruled by Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Spanish, Normans, French, Germans, Savoyards, and Austrians. All, and indeed others as well, contributed to the current culture and made Sicily what it is today.
Since 1761, the Kingdom of Trinacria (leader of the union and catalyst for its creation) has been independent, ruled by the House of Barcelona-Palmero. By force of arms Trinacria conquered Naples (1799) and Sardinia (1849), whereas the County of Malta entered the union voluntarily (1767).
Contents |
History
Politics
Feudalism
Graphical Representation of the Feudal Society:
Feudalism is the reigning social order of Sicily and pervades all parts of life; rank, status, and order are of great importance. Feudal structure really pervades all of society, politics, and culture. While not strictly hierarchical, within groups there is a definite and important hierarchy which controls relations. Below is a description of each order and what their functions are, along with an explanation of the connections on the graph. To avoid doubling, each section will only point out what is given by the order in question, so to find out what is given in return, see the complimentary section's description of the relationship.
The Monarchy
The Monarchy is the highest temporal authority in the land and has tremendous political power, along with easily controlling social behavior. The Monarch is the ultimate protector and he is responsible for keeping the nation safe from all foreign enemies, while also being the final and ultimate adjudicator of internal disputes. The Monarchy consists of the King and his immediate family (parents, siblings, wife, children). They are the highest and most prestigious noble (indeed, royal) family. They are the gatekeepers of status and rank, all advancements rely on them and it is quite difficult to even maintain your current status when in their disfavor.
The only power equal to the Monarchy is the Church. They have a symbiotic relationship. The Monarchy protects the Church, ensures it remains the spiritual authority of the land, and compels his vassals to pay their tithes on the threat of losing their fiefs and titles.
The Monarchy's relationship with the clergy is somewhat different. The Monarch is charged with protecting the clergy and ensuring their high status. The Monarch also ensures that no one tries to collect feudal dues from the clergy. Occasionally members of the Monarchy will join the clergy, though always at a very high starting position, of course.
The relationship with the courts is an important, if strained, one. The courts are a check, if only in theory, on the Monarchy's powers. The courts by and large operate entirely independent from the Monarch, but he does enforce their ruling when necessary.
The Monarchy and the Knightly Orders are very intertwined. The Monarch gives his official sanction to Knightly Orders and assures their members of high status. Occasionally, members of the Monarchy will run a Knightly Order and sometimes the Monarchy creates its own.
The Monarchy's connection with the Landless Nobility is an important one. The Monarchy gives Landless Nobility their status, indeed nothing else is behind them accept the approval of the Monarchy. The Monarchy also protects most landless nobles from normal feudal dues, though not all.
The relationship with Urban Councils is an interesting one. The Monarchy does not necessarily have to approve of Urban Councils (this is generally the job of Upper Nobility), but the liberties which they provide to their citizens must be approved, as they often affect feudal dues from Non-land-holding commoners (who come to the Monarchy for protection in most instances). This is one of the few groups which the Monarchy is not charged to protect. The Monarchy's relationship with Non-land-holding commoners is one of mainly protection. The Monarchy ensures that such landless commoners are not abused by their betters without cause.
The Monarchy and the Upper Nobility have the most direct relationship. Strictly, the Monarch provides protection and unity of decision for the Upper Nobility, guaranteeing their privileges.
The Church
The Church, that is the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church in Rome, is the highest spiritual authority in Sicily. It is extremely powerful and a vital part of a Sicilian's life. The Church holds sway over even the most powerful monarchs and most independent nobles. It is essential to the social order and preforms many essential duties such as functioning as the largest charity organization in the Kingdom, and perhaps the entire world, and also as the determiner of morality, accepted social norms, and legitimacy.
The temporal counterpart of the Church is the Monarchy and the two work hand-in-hand. The Church provides the Monarchy with legitimacy through the concept of divine right and a unity of opinion throughout the Kingdom. It also functions as a money-lender of last resort for a cash-strapped Monarch. The Church also allows the Monarchy to play a part in the appointment of the clergy.
The Church's relationship with the courts is a blurred one, as the Church has its own court system for its members. The Church provides legitimacy for many courts (but not all) by certifying them as righteous and fair. The Church generally does not affect small courts and only larger (normally appellate) courts actively seek its approval.
The Church has a strong relationship with the Knightly Orders. Most of these orders are at least semi-religious and some (like the Knights of Malta) are leftovers from the Crusades, so the relationship is well-fostered. Knightly Orders are actively promoted by the Church and occasionally funded directly by the Church's coffers.
The relationship with the clergy is fairly obvious. The Church is the overarching organization which all clergy belong to, from the lowest village priest to the most powerful Cardinal. The Church provides training to its clergy, it gives its prestige to the clergy as its representatives, it gives unity of opinion on theological matters, it provides the clergy with its own court system (and privilege from being tried elsewhere except in extreme cases), and it builds churches for poor areas.
The Church's relationship with Monastic Orders is a sometimes-strained one, but generally the feeling between the two is warm. The Church does not, however, have as much connection to the Monastic Orders as the clergy. Monastic Orders are provided with legitimacy from the Church, though not all seek its approval. They also have at least tacit support in most all cases.
Courts
The courts provide a vital function in Sicilian society - the arbitrators in disputes. There is a vast, competitive court system with professional arbitrators, nobility, and clergy serving as judges. Not every court has the same set of laws (for example, an ecclesiastical court would depend heavily on Canon Law, whereas a secular contract court would be more concerned with contract law), but all have fundamental similarities based in natural law. They, along with the Monarchy and the Church are the gatekeepers of tradition - but are sometimes dangerous innovators.
The courts' relationship with the Monarchy is an important one. They consistently rule in favor of his edicts, giving them undeniable legal standing, even in the eyes of anti-monarchical groups. However, from time to time, the courts will overturn an edict, which generally results in it being revoked. A notable example of this was the Edict of Naples (1815) which required all men to swear an oath to the King, regardless of rank, other feudal commitments, and etc. This was overturned citing Thomist and Suarist philosophy, along with the traditional feudal concept of all relations being consensual.
The relationship with the Church is a tangled one. Because the Church has its own court system to try its members, secular courts must bow to its decisions when clergy is involved except in very select cases. In general, the secular courts have a good relationship with their ecclesiastical counterparts.
The relationship between the courts and the clergy is generally an obscured one. The interactions are mostly funneled through the Church, but the courts do provide individual clergy with defense because they by and large will not rule on any case regarding them and defer to the ecclesiastic courts.
The courts' relationship with Non-land-holding commoners is one of trade. Courts act as any other business in regard to this order, selling their services and trying to gain customers through competitive processes. The courts also provide landless commoners with a voice in government.
The courts and Urban Councils have a close relationship, as both are the main means by which commoners resolve disputes which are beyond their personal abilities. Many courts seek the sanction of Urban Councils, some even being run by them. The courts aid the Urban Councils in getting approval from nobles and the Monarchy for their charters of liberties.
The relationship with landless nobles is a difficult one for courts. The courts are required to give nobles a trial by their peers, but considering landless nobles aren't a traditional part of the peerage structure, this requirement is blurred and difficult to assure. The courts do give some extra legitimacy to landless nobles, however, in their recognition of the noble status they hold which is disputed by a large minority.
The courts' relationship with landholding commoners is much the same as that with landless commoners. They are businesses in the marketplace and provide a service. The courts also serve the function of land clubs in many instances, legally recognizing the property titles of landholders.
The courts and the nobility (upper and lower) have an important, though strained, relationship. Traditionally, the nobles WERE the courts for all excepting clergy. But with the rise of competitive arbitration, this is not entirely so. Some commoners have become professional arbiters. However, the courts do still recognize and provide for the privileges of the nobility, most pertinently their right to never be tried by inferiors.
