THE ARAGONIANS AND THE VICEROYS

1282 - 1412                        
1415 – 1713

After the death of Frederick IV (Messina, 1377) and after the War of the Sicilian Vespers, the Kingdom of Trinacria, so long desired, fell clearly into decay. His 15 years old daughter, Mary, succeeded him, however the real power was in the hands of the House of Alagona who agreed with the noble houses of Chiaramonte, Peralta and Ventimiglia, establishing the government of the four vicars. They try to marry Mary to one of the Viscontis, but the Count Moncada of Augusta kidnapped her (from the Castello Ursino) and she married Martin I “The Younger”, grandson of Peter IV of Aragon. From 1392 to 1396 his father Martin “the Elder” fought against the noble houses of the island. As soon as he came back to Spain, he entrusted the island to his son Martin until 1409. This latter married Blanche I of Navarre, after Mary’s death in 1402, hoping to have an heir. Unfortunately his desire never came true and, as he died on a battle field in 1409; Martin the Elder went back to Sicily as Martin II of Sicily. King Martin II appointed the queen Blanche I of Navarre Vicar of the Kingdom and later he died childless, without any heir; with him the rule of the Aragonian House of Barcelona came to an end. In 1412 Ferdinand I of Castile (nephew of Martin II the Elder) was chosen by the King of Aragon to rule the Kingdom of Sicily. The island lost any autonomy because of menaces and foreign ambitions of dominion and was annexed to the Crown of Aragon. In 1415 Sicily was downgraded to Viceroyalty and welcome the first Viceroy (the age of Viceroys lasted until 1713) and in 1442 Alfonso of Aragon, called “the Magnanimous” entered Naples giving life to the Kingdom of Sicily “citra et utra pharum ” divided more than ever. During the Spanish rule many events happened in Sicily: the introduction of the Inquisition, the expulsion of the Jews, the degradation of the privileges of the Sicilian Parliament (which was established at the age of the Norman-Swabian Curia), a considerable increase of the tax pressure, a strong corruption of the Sicilian society (the so called “spagnolismo”, the Spanish way). However it is noteworthy that Philip II eliminated brigandage and the  baronial overindulgence. The 17th century was characterised by bloody uprisings for the spread of hunger, such as the Revolt of Giuseppe Alessi in Palermo (1647) and the revolt against the Spanish dominion in Messina, supported by Louis XIV (1674).