Graduate Student, History
Thesis Title: Power, patronage and underage rule in Norman Sicily
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Alex Metcalfe
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About
My previous study at MA level largely centred on the years 1091–1112 within early Norman Sicily. It thus focused particularly upon the negotiations of power in a post-conquest climate, by a dynasty which, already by its second generation, had to negotiate the problematics of underage rule under Countess Adelaide (wife of Count Roger I and mother of King Roger II). By considering the administrative and political methods used to tangentially maintain this power, it was primarily argued that these years saw not, as previous studies have claimed, the continued development of the so-called 'Norman state', but rather relied on less institutionalised methods. This study also brought focus back to the ruler, and her relationships with those that negotiated power on her behalf.
Currently I am pursuing both Latin and Greek charter material from both Sicily and the mainland, as my doctoral thesis seeks to extend upon the theme of underage rulership, through addressing the minority of William II (1166–1171). Specific questions to be asked of this material include, as well as more generally the role of Queenship theory and gender, the methods by which the royal image continued to be communicated, patronage patterns (both of individuals and of institutions), and the role of outsiders with alternative customs. This study, potentially when compared with the earlier regency of Adelaide, thus intends to illustrate the changes in the strength of Norman power, at the same time questioning the way in which it was negotiated and implemented. Such research is in keeping with my wider interests, as parallels may be drawn to the political contexts not only elsewhere in Europe but also beyond, to Islamic societies.
