Roger II conquers Naples

1136

The Norman king of Sicily took the Duchy of Naples, adding mainland southern Italy to his kingdom. His court now controlled ports on both sides of the Strait of Messina and could threaten papal states, Byzantine outposts, and Crusader supply lines alike. The conquest gave Roger command of the central Mediterranean's most strategic waters, making the Norman kingdom an indispensable ally or a dangerous enemy to every power in the region.