Manfred, King of Sicily

Manfred was the Hohenstaufen king of Sicily from 1258 until his death at Benevento in 1266. His court combined Latin, Greek, Jewish and Muslim influences, while his conflict with the papacy drew Charles of Anjou into southern Italy.

Manfred, an illegitimate son of Emperor Frederick II, became king of Sicily in 1258 and defended Hohenstaufen power in Italy against papal opposition. Charles of Anjou invaded with papal backing and defeated and killed Manfred at Benevento in 1266.

In Robert Shea’s The Saracen Holy War, Daoud ibn Abdallah’s attempt to prevent a Christian–Mongol alliance enters its decisive phase as Pope Urban IV dies and Charles of Anjou prepares to invade the Kingdom of Sicily. In Robert Shea’s The Saracen Land of the Infidel, The espionage mission becomes entangled with Manfred of Sicily’s struggle against the papacy and Charles of Anjou, as Ghibelline and Guelf factions compete for Italian cities.