William I

Timeline

1. 1131–1150Palermo · SicilyWilliam, eldest son of Roger II, grew up at the Palermo court and received a Norman-Arabic mixed education. From the 1140s he gradually took part in government affairs, becoming his father's designated heir, and gained military and administrative experience during the kingdom's conflicts with the papacy and Byzantium.
2. 1154–1160Palermo · SicilyAfter Roger II's death William succeeded to the throne and immediately faced rebellion by nobles and the church. He executed opponents by cruel means, including the chancellor Stephen du Perche, earning the nickname 'the Bad', but successfully consolidated royal power.
3. 1161–1166Kingdom of Sicily · Southern ItalyIn his later years William continued to rely on the court bureaucracy to handle relations with the pope, Byzantium, and the city-states of northern Italy. He died in 1166 and was succeeded by his underage son William II, and the kingdom entered a regency period.