Editing Frederick III of Sicily (section)

==Biography==

===Early years===
Frederick was born in [[Barcelona]].{{sfn|Hohenstaufen|1961|p=495}}

When his father died in 1285, he left the [[Kingdom of Aragon]] to his eldest son, [[Alfonso III of Aragon|Alfonso]], and that of Sicily to his second son, [[James II of Aragon|James]]. When Alfonso died in 1291, James became king of Aragon and left Frederick as regent in Sicily. The war between the [[Capetian House of Anjou|Angevins]], who contested the title to Sicily from their peninsular possessions centred on [[Naples]] (the so-called [[Kingdom of Naples]]), and the [[Crown of Aragon]] for the possession of the island was still in progress, and although the Crown of Aragon was successful in Italy, James’ position in [[Spain]] became very insecure due to internal troubles and [[France|French]] attacks. Peace negotiations were begun with [[Charles II of Naples]], but were interrupted by the successive deaths of two popes. At last, under the auspices of [[Pope Boniface VIII]], James concluded a treaty, by which, in exchange for being left undisturbed in the rest of the territories belonging to the Crown of Aragon and promised possession of [[Sardinia]] and [[Corsica]], he gave up Sicily to the [[Papal States|Church]], for whom it was to be held by the Angevins ([[Treaty of Anagni]], 10 June 1295). The Sicilians refused to be made over once more to the hated French they had expelled in 1282 (in the [[Sicilian Vespers]]), and found a national leader in the regent Frederick. In vain the pope tried to bribe him with promises and dignities; he was determined to stand by his subjects, and was crowned king by the nobles at [[Palermo]] in 1296.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=57}}

When Frederick heard that James was preparing to go to war with him, he sent a messenger, Mountainer Pérez de Sosa, to Catalonia in an effort to stir up the barons and cities against James in 1298.<ref name="Riquer">Riquer, 1687&ndash;1688.</ref> Mountainer carried with him an [[Occitan literature|Occitan poem]], ''Ges per guerra no.m chal aver consir'', intended as a communication with his supporters in Catalonia. This communiqué seems to have had in mind Ponç Hug as a recipient, for the count penned a response (under the title ''con d'Empuria''), ''A l'onrat rei Frederic terz vai dir'', in which he praised Frederick's tact and diplomacy, but told him bluntly that he would not abandon his sovereign.<ref name="Riquer"/> This poetic transaction is usually dated to January&ndash;March, Spring, or August 1296, but [[Gerónimo Zurita]] in the seventeenth century specifically dated the embassy of Mountainer to 1298.

===Reign===
Frederick reformed the administration and extended the powers of the Sicilian [[parliament]], which was composed of the [[baron]]s, the [[prelate]]s, and the representatives of the towns.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=57}}

His refusal to comply with the pope's injunctions led to a renewal of the war. Frederick landed in [[Calabria]], where he seized several towns, encouraged revolt in [[Kingdom of Naples|Naples]], negotiated with the [[Ghibelline]]s of [[Tuscany]] and [[Lombardy]], and assisted the house of [[Colonna family|Colonna]] against Pope Boniface. In the meantime, James, who received many favours from the Church, married his sister Yolanda to Robert, the third son of Charles II. Unfortunately for Frederick, a part of the Catalan-Aragonese nobles of Sicily favoured King James, and both [[John of Procida]] and [[Roger of Lauria]], the heroes of the [[war of the Vespers]], went over to the Angevins, and the latter [[Battle of Cape Orlando|completely defeated]] the Sicilian fleet off [[Capo d'Orlando]]. Charles's sons Robert and Philip landed in Sicily, but after capturing [[Catania]] were defeated by Frederick, Philip being taken prisoner (1299), while several Calabrian towns were captured by the Sicilians.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=57}}

For two years more the fighting continued with varying success, until [[Charles of Valois]], who had been sent by Boniface to invade Sicily, was forced to sue for peace, his army being decimated by disease. In August 1302 the [[Treaty of Caltabellotta]] was signed, by which Frederick was recognised king of [[Kingdom of Trinacria|Trinacria]] (the name Sicily was not to be used) for his lifetime, and was to marry [[Eleanor of Anjou]], daughter of [[Charles II of Naples]] and [[Maria Arpad of Hungary]].{{sfn|Backman|1995|p=41}} At Frederick's death, the kingdom was to revert to the Angevins (this clause was inserted chiefly to allow Charles to save face) and Frederick's children would receive compensation elsewhere. Boniface tried to induce King Charles to break the treaty, but the latter was only too anxious for peace. Finally, in May 1303, the pope ratified the treaty, albeit with changes and additions, which included Frederick agreeing to pay him a tribute.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|pp=57–58}}

For a few years Sicily enjoyed peace, and the kingdom was reorganised. However, on the descent of the emperor [[Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor]] into Italy, Frederick entered into an alliance with him, and in violation of the pact of Caltabellotta made war on the Angevins again (1313) and captured [[Reggio Calabria|Reggio]]. He set sail for Tuscany to cooperate with the emperor, but on the latter's death he returned to Sicily. Robert, who had succeeded Charles II in 1309, made several raids into the island, which suffered much material injury. A truce was concluded in 1317, but as the Sicilians had helped the north Italian Ghibellines in the attack on [[Genoa]], and Frederick had seized some Church revenues for military purposes, [[Pope John XXII]] [[excommunicated]] him and placed the island under an [[interdict]] (1321) which lasted until 1335. An Angevin fleet and army, under Robert's son [[Charles, Duke of Calabria|Charles]], was defeated at Palermo by [[Giovanni da Chiaramonte]] in 1325, and in 1326 and 1327 there were further Angevin raids on the island, until the descent into Italy of the next Holy Roman Emperor [[Louis the Bavarian]] distracted their attention. The election of [[Pope Benedict XII]] (1334), who was friendly to Frederick, promised a respite; but after fruitless negotiations the war broke out once more, and Chiaramonte went over to Robert, owing to a private feud.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=58}}

In 1337 Frederick died at [[Paternò]], and in spite of the [[Peace of Caltabellotta]] his son [[Peter II of Sicily]] succeeded him.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=58}}