Chapter 59 The Sicilian Court
May 1179 — The Sicilian Court Answers
Golden light spilled over the domes and tiled roofs of Palermo as spring gave way to the early heat of summer. The scent of citrus blossoms floated on the sea breeze, mingling with salt and incense in the corridors of the Palazzo dei Normanni, the beating heart of Norman Sicily's rule.
Within its mosaic-adorned halls, the court of King William II, called the Good, had gathered in anticipation. News had arrived from the East—sealed under the arms of Jerusalem. Whispers had already raced through the marble columns and gardens of the palace: the Leper King had written again.
William sat on his throne beneath a broad arch framed with gold tesserae, a young king of twenty-four, robed in Sicilian silk trimmed in imperial purple. Despite his youth and reserved manner, William had proven both devout and politically sharp, careful in his dealings with Rome and Constantinople alike.
Stephen du Perche, his Chancellor and trusted cousin, approached the throne holding a scroll bound in red silk and sealed in wax. With a bow, he presented it.
"This arrived with the royal seal of the Kingdom of Jerusalem," he said.
William's eyes scanned the wax symbol, then gestured for it to be read aloud. Stephen carefully broke the seal and unfurled the letter before the assembly.
He began:
To His Royal Majesty, William, by the Grace of God King of Sicily, Duke of Apulia and Prince of Capua,From Baldwin, by that same Grace, King of Jerusalem, Duke of Palestine, Shield of Christendom and Defender of the Holy Sepulchre,
May peace and divine favor rest upon your throne and your realm. I write to you not only as a fellow king and brother in Christ, but as one who stands at the gates of war and seeks your wisdom and strength in what lies ahead.