Italian/Sicily wars from 1050-1300

[Jagger2002]

I have been googling without success trying to find a list of battles or wars that took place in Italy/Sicily between 1050 and 1300. I would like to find out what sort of army matchups would be historical. Anybody have a good source or site with that information?

[Nijis]

John Julius Norwich's The Normans in the South and A Kingdom in the Sun are good, engaging general histories of the period. He writes more like a modern-day chatty Byzantine chronicler than a military historian, with more emphasis on personalities and politics than analysis, but they're a fun read and they should at least list the major battles. I think they're both on Amazon.

[Jagger2002]

That does look interesting. And Norwich also writes about the Byzantines. Thanks Nijis, those are both on my wish list now.

[demiller]

The Wikipedia article on "Guelphs and Ghibellines" contains a list of battles during roughly that period. Some of the linked articles are decent, some are just stubs but it'll get you a list to start from.

Osprey's European Medieval Tactics (2) covers Italian armies and tactics in some detail, with some pretty good battle descriptions and diagrams. also from Osprey is The Normans in Italy 1016-1194 which has good coverage of the early part of the period you're after.

Hope those are some help!

[petrus58]

I can thoroughly recommend: Georgios Theotokis, The Norman Campaigns in the Balkans, 1081-1108 (Boydell and Brewer, 2014) and (edited by same author) Warfare in the Norman Mediterranean (Boydell and Brewer, 2020).

[Gator007]

Norwich is sorely missed.

[Benedict151]

I can thoroughly recommend: Georgios Theotokis, The Norman Campaigns in the Balkans, 1081-1108 (Boydell and Brewer, 2014) and (edited by same author) Warfare in the Norman Mediterranean (Boydell and Brewer, 2020).

+1 to Normans in the Balkans. Wasn't aware of Warfare in the Norman Med so will take a look, thanks
Ben