Sicilian Medieval Studies Sicily's Rebellion against King Charles: The Story of the Sicilian Vespers by John of Procida, (Paperback)

This is the first English translation of this work written in Sicilian around 1290 as a memoir by John of Procida, sometime chancellor of Frederick II, the distinguished monarch who died in 1250. It is the earliest known narrative written in the medieval Sicilian vernacular and a significant literary landmark. Included are the original text and explanatory notes, a glossary, maps, genealogical tables, a list describing people mentioned in the account, photographs, a detailed bibliography, and a description of events leading to the Sicilian Vespers revolt of 1282. The major chronicles of these events are the work of personages such as Bartholomew of Nicastro, who lived in Messina, while this work is essentially "narrative nonfiction," or even a slightly fictionalized version of the events that transpired, with John as a protagonist. It therefore reflects the point of view of an actual participant rather than an observer. The memoir complements contemporary chronicles and other sources by describing the personalities of the participants as John knew them. Significantly, it reflects the spirit of Sicilian culture during the last decades of the tumultuous thirteenth century.