The Kingdom of Sicily, 1100-1250: A Literary History (The Middle Ages Series)

When Muslim invaders conquered Sicily in the ninth century, they took control of a weakened Greek state in cultural decadence. When, two centuries later, the Normans seized control of the island, they found a Muslim state just entering its cultural prime. Rather than replace the practices and idioms of the vanquished people with their own, the Normans in Sicily adopted and adapted the Greco-Arabic culture that had developed on the island. Yet less than a hundred years later, the cultural and linguistic mix had been reduced, a Romance tradition had come to dominate, and Sicilian poets composed the first body of love lyrics in an Italianate vernacular. Karla Mallette has written the first literary history of the Kingdom of Sicily in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Where other scholars have separated out the island's literature along linguistic grounds, Mallette surveys the literary production in Arabic, Latin, Greek, and Romance dialects, in addition to the architectural remains, numismatic inscriptions, and diplomatic records, to argue for a multilingual, multicultural, and coherent literary tradition. Drawing on postcolonial theory to consider institutional and intellectual power, the exchange of knowledge across cultural boundaries, and the containment and celebration of the other that accompanies cultural transition, the book includes an extensive selection of poems and documents translated from the Arabic, Latin, Old French, and Italian. The Kingdom of Sicily, 1100-1250 opens up new venues for understanding the complexity of a place and culture at the crossroads of East and West, Islam and Christianity, tradition and innovation. Cover 1 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Table of Contents 6 Chapter 1.Toward a Literary History of the Kingdom of Sicily 8 Chapter 2. An Archeology of the Sicilian Park 24 Chapter 3. Frederick II and the Genesis of a Sicilian Romance Culture 54 Chapter 4. Rereading Le Origini: Sicilian Romance Poetry and the Language of Natural Philosophy 72 Chapter 5. Beyond Le Origini: Sicilian Romance Poetry in a Feminine Voice 91 Chapter 6. Vernacularity and Sicilian Culture 117 Texts in Translation 138 From the Arabic 138 Ibn Hamdis 138 “In Youth, the Soul Attains its Desire” (from the Siqilliyyat) 138 “Because of long-lasting grief ” (from the Siqilliyyat) 141 “Oh, Garden of love” 144 “You Tortured me with the Two Elements” 145 Abu Musa 145 “Oh, Blonde Tribe, my Blood is on Your Hands” 145 “My Tears Expose my Love” 146 Al-Atrabanishi, “Oh, Favara of the two seas!” 146 Al-Buthayri and Ibn Bashrun, “Pass Round the Golden Carnelian-Red [wine]” 148 Abu al-Daw’, “The Radiant Moon has been Extinguished” 150 Abu Hafs, “He Sought Solace” 152 Introduction to al-Idrisi’s Geography 153 The Travels of Ibn Jubayr 155 The Daughter of Ibn ‘Abbad and Frederick II 158 From the Latin 161 Henricus Aristippus’s Preface to His Translation of Plato’s Phaedo, ca. 1156 161 Preface to a Translation of Ptolemy’s Almagest by an Unknown Translator, ca. 1160 163 “Hugo Falcandus” on the Death of William and the Arrival of the Germans 165 Peter of Eboli, Lament on the Death of William II 168 Frederick II, Hunting with Birds 169 Frederick II and Lucera 171 The Destruction of Lucera 174 From the Old French 175 Introduction to the Book of Sydrac 175 From the Sicilian 179 Giacomo da Lentini 179 “Maravigliosamente” 179 “Amor non vole” 181 “Or Come Pote sí Gran Donna Intrare” 182 “A l’aire Claro ò Vista Ploggia Dare” 183 Frederick II, “Dolze Meo Drudo” 184 Mazzeo di Ricco, “Sei anni ò Travagliato” 185 Rinaldo d’Aquino, “Già mai non mi conforto” 187 Guido delle Colonne, “Ancor che l’aigua per lo foco lassi” 189 Anonymous, “Oi lassa ’namorata” 192 Notes 194 Bibliography 206 Index 216 Acknowledgments 220 Toward A Literary History Of The Kingdom Of Sicily -- An Archeology Of The Sicilian Park -- Frederick Ii And The Genesis Of A Sicilian Romance Culture -- Rereading Le Origini: Sivilian Romance Poetry And The Language Of Natural Philosophy -- Beyond Le Origini: Sicilian Romance Poetry In A Feminine Voice -- Vernacularity And Sicilian Culture -- In Youth, The Soul Attains Its Desire (from The Siqilliyyat) / Ibn Hamdis -- Because Of Long-lasting Grief (from The Siqilliyyat) / Ibn Hamdis -- Oh, Garden Of Love / Ibn Hamdis -- You Tortured Me With The Two Elements / Ibn Hamdis -- Oh, Blonde Tribe, My Blood Is On Your Hands / Abu Musa -- My Tears Expose My Love / Abu Musa -- Oh, Favara Of The Two Seas! / Al-atrabanishi -- Pass Round The Golden Carnelian-red [wine] / Al-buthayri And Ibn Bashrun -- The Radiant Moon Has Been Extinguished / Abu Al-dawʼ -- He Sought Solace / Abu Hafs -- Introduction To Al-idrisi's Geography -- The Travels Of Ibn Jubayr -- The Daughter Of Ibn ʻabbad And Frederick Ii -- Henricus Aristippis's Preface To His Translation Of Plato's Phaedo, Ca. 1156 -- Preface To A Translation Of Ptolemy's Almagest / By An Unknown Translator, Ca. 1160 -- On The Death Of William And The Arrival Of The Germans / Hugo Falcandus -- Lament On The Death Of William Ii / Peter Of Eboli -- Hunting With Birds / Frederick Ii -- Frederick Ii And Lucera -- Innocent Iv Excommunicates Frederick -- The Destruction Of Lucera -- Introduction To The Book Of Sydrac -- Maravigliosamente / Giacomo Da Lentini -- Armor Non Vole / Giacomo Da Lentini -- Or Come Pote Sí Gran Donna Intrare / Giacomo Da Lentini -- A L'aire Claro ò Vista Ploggia Dare / Giacomo Da Lentini -- Dolze Meo Drudo / Frederick Ii -- Sei Anni ò Travagliato / Mazzeo Di Ricco -- Già Mai Non Mi Conforto / Rinaldo D'aquino -- Ancor Che L'aigua Per Lo Foco Lassi / Guido Delle Colonne -- Oi Lassa 'namorata / Anonymous. Karla Mallette. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [199]-207) And Index.

When Muslim invaders conquered Sicily in the ninth century, they took control of a weakened Greek state in cultural decadence. When, two centuries later, the Normans seized control of the island, they found a Muslim state just entering its cultural prime. Rather than replace the practices and idioms of the vanquished people with their own, the Normans in Sicily adopted and adapted the Greco-Arabic culture that had developed on the island. Yet less than a hundred years later, the cultural and linguistic mix had been reduced, a Romance tradition had come to dominate, and Sicilian poets composed the first body of love lyrics in an Italianate vernacular.

Karla Mallette has written the first literary history of the Kingdom of Sicily in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Where other scholars have separated out the island's literature along linguistic grounds, Mallette surveys the literary production in Arabic, Latin, Greek, and Romance dialects, in addition to the architectural remains, numismatic inscriptions, and diplomatic records, to argue for a multilingual, multicultural, and coherent literary tradition.

Drawing on postcolonial theory to consider institutional and intellectual power, the exchange of knowledge across cultural boundaries, and the containment and celebration of the other that accompanies cultural transition, the book includes an extensive selection of poems and documents translated from the Arabic, Latin, Old French, and Italian. The Kingdom of Sicily, 1100-1250 opens up new venues for understanding the complexity of a place and culture at the crossroads of East and West, Islam and Christianity, tradition and innovation.