AH Challenge: The Kingdom of Sicily stays united plus...

Gains the Duchy of Spoleto.

How could this happen? What would be the short term effects? Long Term?


Your thoughts, Good People of AH.com
 
No Sicilian Vespers would keep the kingdom united. Charles d'Anjou was pretty ambitious, which was probably his downfall. The island of Sicily was just a spring board to him, he had intentions to retake Constantinople and restore the Latin Empire. I suppose in 1270 it would be still be possible, but after seizing Naples and Sicily, he's too much in danger of overextending himself. He also had to deal with Manfred Hohenstaufen, the bastard son of the last King of Sicily. Although he was defeated, his heiress Constance married into the House of Aragon, who would drive him from Sicily. Perhaps if Charles' first wife Beatrice of Provence dies in the late 1250s or early 1260s, Charles could theoretically capture Constance and force her into marriage, which would nullify any outsiders attempting to oust him, and legitimate his rule further; after all, he had basically brought the right to the crown from the Papacy, who was the feudal overlord of Sicily.

Not sure on Spoleto. But if Sicily remains a unified kingdom, then the Angevins would certainly have the resources to take it. But if Charles himself can maintain Sicily, he will definitely direct his ambitions towards Constantinople as he intended...
 
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