Entry William II of Hauteville (1171–1189) Mirko Vagnoni Independent Researcher, I-50050 Gambassi Terme, Italy; [email protected] Definition: William II of Hauteville King of Sicily (1171–1189). William II of Hauteville was the third king of the Norman dynasty on the throne of Sicily. He ruled independently from 1171 (from 1166 to 1171 he was under the regency of his mother) to 1189. From an iconographic point of view, he is particularly interesting because he was the first king of Sicily who made use of monumental images of himself. In particular, we have five official (namely, commissioned directly by him or his entourage) representations of him: the royal bull, the royal seal, and three images from the Cathedral of Monreale (near Palermo): two mosaic panels and one carved capital. Keywords: royal images; royal iconography; kings of Sicily; Norman dynasty; William II of Hauteville 1. Introduction William II of Hauteville was crowned king of Sicily in 1166, but at the beginning of his government, he was under the regency of his mother. It was from December 1171 that he ruled independently, and his reign lasted until 18 November 1189 (the day of his death) (in general, about William II of Hauteville king of Sicily see: [1,2]). He was the third Norman king of Sicily but, from an iconographic point of view, he was the first who did not limit his representation to seals and coins but made use also of monumental images of himself (for example, the Roger II’s representations in the Basilica of San Nicola in Bari and in the Citation: Vagnoni, M. William II of Church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio in Palermo were not directly commissioned by Hauteville (1171–1189). Encyclopedia the king. About the official images of William II’s Norman predecessors see: [3] (pp. 32–40 2021, 1, 542–550. https://doi.org/ and pp. 51–52), with more details and previous bibliography). For this reason, he can be 10.3390/encyclopedia1030045 considered as the most representative of this royal family. Regarding him, we have five official (namely, commissioned directly by him or his entourage) representations: the royal Academic Editor: Song-Chong Lee bull and the royal seal and two mosaic panels and one carved capital at the Cathedral of Monreale (near Palermo) (about the identification of the William II’s official image see: [3] (p. 57)). Received: 26 May 2021 Accepted: 17 June 2021 2. The Royal Bull Published: 3 July 2021 This artifact is a metal hanging seal with a diameter of 35 mm (Figure1) (about this image see: [4] (p. 87), [5] (p. 100), [6]). On one face, there is the royal image with the Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral inscription + W[ILLELMVS] D[E]I GRA[CIA] REX SICIL[IE] DVCAT[VS] APVL[IE] ET with regard to jurisdictional claims in PRINCIP[ATVS] CAP[VE]. On the other face, there is the image of Christ identified by published maps and institutional affil- the monogram IC XC (namely, IHSOΥS XPISTOS NIKA: «Jesus Christ wins») and, again, iations. the inscription + W[ILLELMVS] D[E]I GRA[CIA] REX SICIL[IE] DVCAT[VS] APVL[IE] ET PRINCIP[ATVS] CAP[VE]. The king is standing and, likely, he has a long beard. He wears Byzantine garments and symbols of power: a high and squared crown with lateral pendilia (probably a Plattenkrone), a cruciferous globe, a labarum, a tunic (a divitision or a Copyright: © 2021 by the author. skaramangion) and a loros intertwined in a T shape. This iconographic choice does not Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. seem to have specific political and propagandistic motivations but simply follows the bull This article is an open access article of his grandfather Roger II (and, probably, that of his father William I as well). Likely, its distributed under the terms and adoption was already decided during the regency period and, after that, it was used also conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// for the whole of William II’s reign (about that see: [3] (pp. 35–37, pp. 51–52, and pp. 57–58)). creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/). Encyclopedia 2021, 1, 542–550. https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia1030045 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/encyclopedia Encyclopedia 2021, 1, FOR PEER REVIEW 2 Encyclopedia 2021, 1 it was used also for the whole of William II’s reign (about that see: [3] (pp. 35–37, pp.543 51– 52, and pp. 57–58)). FigureFigure 1. 1.Bull Bull of of William William II ofII of Hauteville, Hauteville, obverse obverse and and reverse reverse of of impression impression on on metal, metal, March March 1184. 1184. Palermo,Palermo, Biblioteca Biblioteca Centrale Centrale della della Regione Regione Siciliana, Siciliana, Tabulario Tabulario della della Cattedrale Cattedrale di Monreale, di Monreale, diploma di- ploma n. 50. Image published in: [3] (Figure 5). no. 50. Image published in: [3] (Figure 5). WithoutWithout a doubt, a doubt, this this image image is an is official an official representation representation of William of William II and, II it and, mainly it mainly had a juridicalhad a juridical function function (it was (it used was to used corroborate to corro theborate legal the value legal of value diplomas of diplomas and documents and docu- issuedments by issued the royal by the chancellery). royal chancellery). Its mobile Its support mobile wouldsupport have would facilitated have facilitated its circulation its cir- insideculation the Kingdominside the and,Kingdom in this and, way, in it this could way, reach it could a large reach number a large of subjects. number However,of subjects. weHowever, should consider we should that consider seals were that not seals made were to not move made around to move but toaround be stored, but to with be theirstored, documents,with their indocuments, the archives in the of their archives recipients. of thei Moreover,r recipients. their Moreover, dimensions their were dimensions somewhat were reducedsomewhat and reduced certainly and of certainly scarce visual of scarce impact. visual Finally, impact. their Finally, use their was use not was particularly not partic- commonularly common either. Indeed, either. weIndeed, should we note should that note the averagethat the average number number of issues of does issues not does seem not toseem be very to be high very during high Williamduring William II’s reign II’s (even reig if,n (even greater if, than greater that than of his that two of predecessors) his two prede- (aboutcessors) the (about number the of issuesnumber of of the issues William of the II’s William chancellery II’s seechancellery again: [3 ]see (p. again: 58), with [3] more(p. 58), detailswith more and previousdetails and bibliography). previous bibliography). If we also considerIf we also thatconsider the same that the recipients same recipients could receivecould severalreceive documents, several documents, we can suppose we can thatsuppo these number that the of number subjects of involved subjects was involved not particularlywas not particularly abundant abundant and limited and at limited the aristocratic at the aristocratic and ruling and class ruling of Southern class of Southern Italian society.Italian Therefore, society. Therefore, in line with in theseline with data, these it was da notta, veryit was frequent not very to frequent be able to to see be theable royal to see imagethe royal of the image bull and of the only bull a limited and only number a limit ofed people number would of havepeople had would this opportunity. have had this opportunity. 3. The Royal Seal 3. TheThis Royal artifact Seal is a red wax hanging seal of 55 mm of diameter placed in a wooden box of 65 mmThis in artifact diameter is a (Figurered wax2 )hanging (about thisseal imageof 55 mm see: of [ diameter4] (pp. 86–87), placed [5 in](p. a wooden 90), [6, 7box] (p.of 204), 65 mm [8]). in The diameter legend (Figure has the inscription2) (about this + W. image [ILLELMVS] see: [4] (pp. DEI 86–87), GRA[TIA] [5] (p. REX 90), SICILIE [6,7] (p. DVCATVS204), [8]). APVLIEThe legend ET PRINCIPATVShas the inscription CAPVE + W. and, [ILLELMVS] around the DEI royal GRA[TIA] image itREX is written SICILIE W[ILLELMVS]DVCATVS APVLIE REX. The ET kingPRINCIPATVS wears, again, CAPVE Byzantine and, around garments the and royal symbols image ofit is power: written a highW[ILLELMVS] and squared REX. crown The withking wears, lateral again, pendilia By (probablyzantine garments a Plattenkrone), and symbols a cruciferous of power: a globe,high aand labarum, squared a tunic crown (a divitision with lateral or a pendilia skaramangion) (probably and a a Plattenkrone), loros. However, a herecruciferous there areglobe, two important a labarum, changes: a tunic (a the divitision loros is not or a intertwined skaramangion) in a T and but a in loros. a Y shape However, and, thehere ruler there isare not two standing important but sits changes: on a throne the loros (unfortunately, is not intertwined it is not possible in a T but to clearly in a Y understandshape and, ifthe the king is shaved or has a more or less long beard). It is difficult to say if the concepteur ruler is not standing but sits on a throne (unfortunately, it is not possible to clearly under- was following a specific pattern and if these iconographic choices had precise meanings. In stand if the king is shaved or has a more or less long beard). It is difficult to say if the Byzantine bulls and seals, in general, it is present the loros in a T shape and the ruler is concepteur was following a specific pattern and if these iconographic choices had precise standing.