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There are many conceptions about Vikings, some of them possibly true, while others are mere colourful figments of imagination. The one truth we can hold for certain is that the Viking Age and its people, including those we call Vikings, were many different things often at the same time. The result is a multitude of histories rather than one shared history.1 This is perhaps especially apparent when considering the eastern part of the Viking World. The historical narratives of the Vikings are often dominated by actions and events framed by the raids in the North Atlantic and the coasts and rivers of Western Europe. The movement by Scandinavians into the European East, and far beyond, was equally extensive and connected Scandinavia to some of the foremost centres of power of the time. While the western expansion is often characterised by raids, violence and power politics, the eastern counterpart is frequently depicted as more peaceful, with Scandinavians mainly engaging in trade or in agricultural colonialization of sparsely populated regions. But was there really a great discrepancy between the movements, or is this a later construct based on differences in source material and research traditions? Aiming at going beyond the usual preconceptions, this text explores the varieties of roles and identities of the people, hoping to convey some of the richness and complexity that formed the society of the eastern Viking World., Viking Phenomenon

The article discusses legends about the origins of Germanic peoples and their role in ancient and medieval geography: among other things, it is shown that Oriental medieval cosmographers might have been aware of these legends., В статье рассматриваются некоторые легенды о происхождении германских народов в разрезе средневековой и античной географии. Показано возможное использование этих преданий восточной средневековой космографией.

The presence of Islam in Sicily went on after the Norman invasion of this territory in the eleventh century. Men and women of Arabic heritage or Islamic religion remained inhabiting the island for centuries, contributing to its artistic and cultural development, influencing its language and traditions and, by extension, those of the Italic Peninsula. The article overviews the history of the period and of its sway on the cultural legacy of the island., El Islam no desaparece de Sicilia tras la invasion normanda del siglo XI. Hombres y mujeres de cultura árabe o de religión islámica siguieron viviendo en la isla durante siglos, contribuyendo a su desarrollo artístico y cultural, influyendo en la lengua y en las tradiciones de Sicilia y, a través de ella, también en la Italia peninsular El artículo ofrece una panorámica general de la historia de dicho periodo y de su influencia en el legado cultural.

The aim of this research is to trace the development of the process of independence of the Counties of Sicily and Portugal. We have found similarities as well as differences that characterize such common strategies that led to international recognition, in other words of Christianity. We start underlining the blood relations between the House of Hauteville and that of Burgundy in the end of the XIth Century and the first half of the latter., Este trabajo busca comparar los dos procesos de independencia de los condados de Sicilia y de Portugal. Las similitudes y diferencias, como las estrategias comunes para alcanzar el reconocimiento de la Cristiandad como nuevos reinos, forman parte de este trabajo que parte del parentesco dinástico entre las dos casas de Hauteville y de Borgoña, desde finales del siglo XI y la primera mitad del XII.

Profilo biografico di Rainaldo da Collemezzo, abate di Montecassino e cardinale prete dei Ss. Pietro e Marcellino.

Colonial Studies has focused on the British as instigators of colonialism, but this essay reflects on their own experience of being colonised, by the Romans, Anglo-Saxons and Normans, as well as on later perceptions of being invaded by foreigners, as a consequence of dynastic change or through immigration., Los estudios coloniales se han centrado en los británicos como instigadores del colonialismo, pero este ensayo reflexiona sobre su propia experiencia de haber sido colonizados, por los romanos, los anglo-sajones, como consecuencia del cambio dinástico o a través de la inmigración.

Generally historians have given little attention to the sacrality of the Norman queens of Sicily. Certainly, there are few sources on this subject but this paper wants to study this topic analysing a very important text for the representation of power: the Ordo coronationis written in the Norman Sicily and that describes the ritual for the coronation of a queen., In genere la sacralità delle regine normanne di Sicilia ha ricevuto scarsa attenzione da parte della storiografia. Certamente al riguardo le fonti sono scarse ma il presente contributo intende affrontare l’argomento analizzando un testo in tal senso molto interessante: l’Ordo coronationis realizzato nella Sicilia normanna e che descrive lo svolgimento del rituale d’incoronazione di una regina.

This thesis covers the Norman and Anglo-Norman contribution to the Iberian Reconquista from the early eleventh to the mid-thirteenth centuries. It explores the involvement of these groups as part of the changing ideas of Holy War and their transformation as result of the First Crusade. It shows that although the Reconquista was the result of important political and economic factors within the Iberian realms, the theological aura that the papacy started placing on this conflict was a powerful motivator increasing the interest of the Normans and later Anglo-Normans, especially when coincidental with the general call for crusade in western Europe that resulted in the large expeditions that are known to us as the crusades. To cover these areas, this work is divided in four main sections: the first, Chapter II, pursues chronologically the careers of individual members of the Norman nobility such as Roger of Tosny, Robert Crispin and Robert Burdet as they became involved. It also addresses the influence that institutions like Cluny and the papacy might have had in the creation of the idea of the Reconquista in the minds of those involved. The second section, Chapter III explores the brief decline of the Norman interest in the peninsula as a result of the Norman conquest of England and the First Crusade. It also explores the revitalization of the Norman interest in the peninsular conflict with the careers of Rotrou of Perche and Robert Burdet. Chapter IV, addresses the large contribution of the Anglo-Normans as part of the Second Crusade and their motivations and the impact of their arrival on the Iberian realms. Chapter V explores the participation of the lower aristocracy and merchants from the mid-twelfth century onwards in the coastal actions on both the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of Iberia, showing the impact that these actions had in the Reconquista. Finally, Chapter VI explores how the changing political circumstances in Iberia and the Anglo-Norman domains he

This thesis covers the Norman and Anglo-Norman contribution to the Iberian Reconquista from the early eleventh to the mid-thirteenth centuries. It explores the involvement of these groups as part of the changing ideas of Holy War and their transformation as result of the First Crusade. It shows that although the Reconquista was the result of important political and economic factors within the Iberian realms, the theological aura that the papacy started placing on this conflict was a powerful motivator increasing the interest of the Normans and later Anglo-Normans, especially when coincidental with the general call for crusade in western Europe that resulted in the large expeditions that are known to us as the crusades. To cover these areas, this work is divided in four main sections: the first, Chapter II, pursues chronologically the careers of individual members of the Norman nobility such as Roger of Tosny, Robert Crispin and Robert Burdet as they became involved. It also addresses the influence that institutions like Cluny and the papacy might have had in the creation of the idea of the Reconquista in the minds of those involved. The second section, Chapter III explores the brief decline of the Norman interest in the peninsula as a result of the Norman conquest of England and the First Crusade. It also explores the revitalization of the Norman interest in the peninsular conflict with the careers of Rotrou of Perche and Robert Burdet. Chapter IV, addresses the large contribution of the Anglo-Normans as part of the Second Crusade and their motivations and the impact of their arrival on the Iberian realms. Chapter V explores the participation of the lower aristocracy and merchants from the mid-twelfth century onwards in the coastal actions on both the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of Iberia, showing the impact that these actions had in the Reconquista. Finally, Chapter VI explores how the changing political circumstances in Iberia and the Anglo-Norman domains he