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Death of King William II of Sicily (1180)
In November 1180, Norman King William II of Sicily ('William the Good') died in Palermo at only 36 with no legitimate heirs, ending Norman rule in It…
Timeline
- 1189Palermo · SicilyWilliam II died in the capital Palermo; his reign maintained relative peace and prosperity in the Kingdom of Sicily, but the lack of an heir threatened the extinction of the Norman line.
- 1189Kingdom of Sicily · SicilyAfter William II's death, the claims of his aunt Constance and her husband Henry VI (Holy Roman Empire) to the throne clashed with native noble factions, laying the groundwork for the Hohenstaufen takeover of Sicily.
Sources
- The Kingdom of Sicily under the Hohenstaufen and Angevin — David Abulafia (1988)
- William II https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-II-king-of-Sicily