The sheer presence of Rome midway along the Apennine peninsula now serves as a sturdy political shield from the continental powers to the north. Condoning the invasion of Sicily was only the beginning for the Papacy's support of the Normans. with more than a little encouragement from the Papacy.King Roger I's nation may be a relative infant, but with an island capital, southern Italy under his control and a healthy relationship with the Papal States, it is an infant that looks likely to survive the journey to adulthood.
Six years before the Normans successfully conquered England, their first true island invasion was launched against the Saracens that occupied Sicily.
Although Sicily's proximity to Rome has given the island a rich history, it now stands as a true fledgling among the European powers.
