Sicilian Vespers massacre the French

March 30, 1282

On Easter Monday a drunken French sergeant harassed a Palermitan bride outside the church of Santo Spirito. A riot exploded into a coordinated uprising that killed thousands of Frenchmen across Sicily within weeks. Charles of Anjou lost half his kingdom overnight. The revolt's speed and coordination suggest advance planning, possibly with the backing of Peter III of Aragon and Byzantine gold.