• Dressing for Succession in Norman Italy: The Mantle of King Roger II

    Author(s):
    Clare Vernon (see profile)
    Date:
    2019
    Subject(s):
    Art, Medieval, Art, Italian, Mediterranean Region, Area studies, Material culture, Textile fabrics, Middle Ages
    Item Type:
    Article
    Tag(s):
    Silk, Pearls, Medieval art, Italian art, Mediterranean studies, Textiles, Medieval
    Permanent URL:
    http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/apgm-2b71
    Abstract:
    The subject of this article is the mantle of the kings of Sicily, now in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. Made in Palermo in the 1130s, it is often known as the mantle of Roger II. Following his coronation in 1130, King Roger II saw the need to ensure the succession of his sons. As part of his strategy to consolidate dynastic succession, Roger invested his sons with important titles in the mainland regions of the kingdom. This article has two parts: the first discusses the materials used to make the mantle, the journeys they took to reach Sicily and the diplomatic and commercial relationships necessary to acquire them. The second part argues that the mantle may have been made for the investiture ceremonies of the king’s sons and examines how the materials and their exoticism shaped the ceremonial meaning of the garment.
    Metadata:
    xml
    Status:
    Published
    Last Updated:
    5 years ago
    License:
    All Rights Reserved
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