1 1 The Royal Palace in Palermo - The medieval Palace by Ruggero Longo Christmas Day 1130 was a great day for Palermo, and is a memorable one for the history of southern Italy: it was the day of the coronation of Roger II. The Hauteville family, Normans who arrived in the south of Italy in the earlier eleventh century, extended their control over the entire southern part of the peninsula. Islamic Sicily was conquered by Robert Guiscard and his brother the count Roger, in a remarkable undertaking that unified the entire south under a single crown. This crown was placed on the head of Roger II, son of the first count of Sicily, in the archiepiscopal church of Palermo. The praises heaped on the new king still echo today in the inscriptions and diplomas composed in Latin, Greek and Arabic; pages and pages of history were written, exalting his fame. Alexander of Telese wrote at this time: “After the duke Roger in accordance with royal ceremonial had proceeded to the archiepiscopal church and after receiving the sacred anointings assumed the dignity of sovereignty, it cannot be expressed in writing and indeed it cannot be imagined how great was his glory and how imposing and marvellous was the new kingdom for its prestige and for its profusion of riches. All observers received the impression that it had concentrated into itself all the magnificence and honours of this world. The entire city was incomparably glorified and within its boundaries spread rejoicing and splendour.” In the following chapter, book II chapter V, of the Ystoria Rogerii regis Sicilie Calabrie atque Apulie, entitled “The splendour of the royal Pal ace the equipage of the knightly procession”, the chronicler describes the Palace in enthusiastic terms: “Also the royal Palace, whose walls inside were all decorated, shone brilliantly. The floors, covered with multicoloured carpets, gave a most agreeable impression.” The description of the ceremonies continues in chapter VI: “For those invited to the royal banquet a most rich assortment of dishes and drinks was provided, served in plates and cups of gold and silver. All the servants were dressed in silk […] Such was the splendour and ostentation inside the Palace that to everybody’s eyes it appeared something prodigious and stupefying, to the extent that it aroused genuine dismay in those who had come from afar to assist at the event. This is because the spectators were presented with many more things than they had even heard about”. 1