Women of the Romance Countries | Page 9

why is she
still held in this affectionate regard by the present residents of sunny
Naples? To answer all these questions it will be necessary to go back to
a much earlier day in the history of this southern part of the Italian
peninsula--a day when Naples was the centre of a royal government of
no little importance in the eyes of the mediæval world.

Some three hundred years before Joanna's birth, in the early part of the
eleventh century, a band of knightly pilgrims was on its way to the
Holy Land to battle for the Cross. They had ridden through the fair
provinces of France, in brave array upon their mighty chargers, all the
way from Normandy to Marseilles, and there they had taken ship for
the East. The ships were small, the accommodations and supplies were
not of the best, and it was not possible to make the journey with any
great speed. Stopping, as it happened, for fresh stores in the south of
Italy, they were at once invited by the Prince of Salerno to aid him in
his fight against the Mohammedans, who were every day encroaching
more upon the Greek possessions there. Being men of warlike nature,
already somewhat wearied by the sea voyage to which they were not
accustomed, and considering this fighting with the Saracens of Italy as
a good preparation for later conflicts with the heathens and the infidels
who were swarming about the gates of Jerusalem, they were not slow to
accept the invitation. While victory perched upon the banners of the
Normans, it was evident at once that for the future safety of the country
a strong and stable guard would be necessary, and so the Normans were
now asked to stay permanently. This the majority did with immense
satisfaction, for the soft and gentle climate of the country had filled
their souls with a sweet contentment, and the charms and graces of the
southern women had more than conquered the proud conquerors. Just
as Charles VIII. and his army, some hundreds of years later, were
ensnared by the soft glances of soft eyes when they went to Italy to
conquer, so the Normans were held in silken chains in this earlier time.
But there was this difference--the Normans did not forget their own
interests. Willing victims to the wondrous beauty of the belles of
Naples, they were strong enough to think of their own position at the
same time; and as the French colony grew to fair size and much
importance, they took advantage of certain controversies which arose,
and boldly seized Apulia, which they divided among twelve of their
counts. This all happened in the year 1042.
It may well be imagined that Naples at this time presented a most
picturesque appearance, for there was a Babel of tongues and a mixture
of nationalities which was quite unusual. After the native Neapolitans,
dark-eyed and swarthy, there were countless Greeks and Saracens of

somewhat fairer hue, and over them all were the fierce Normans,
strangers from a northern clime, who were lording it in most masterful
fashion. The effect of this overlordship, which they held from the pope
as their feudal head, was to give to this portion of Italy certain
characteristics which are almost entirely lacking in the other parts of
Italy. Here there was no free city, here there was no republic, but,
instead, a feudal court which followed the best models of the continent
and in its time became famed for its brilliancy and elegance. Without
dallying by the way to explain when battles were fought and kings were
crowned, suffice it to say that, early in the fourteenth century, Robert of
Taranto, an Angevine prince, ascended the throne of Naples, and by his
wisdom and goodness and by his great interest in art and literature
made his capital the centre of a culture and refinement which were rare
at that time. This was a day of almost constant warfare, when the din of
battle and the clash of armor were silencing the sound of the harp and
the music of the poet, but Robert--Il buon Rè Roberto, as he was
called--loved peace and hated war and ever strove to make his court a
place of brightness and joy, wherein the arts and sciences might
flourish without let or hindrance.
These centuries of feudal rule had, perhaps, given the people of Naples
a somewhat different temper from that possessed by the people in other
parts of Italy. There had been a firm centre of authority, and, in spite of
the troubles which had rent the kingdom, the people in the main had
been little concerned with them. They had been taught to obey, and
generally their rights had been respected. Now, under King Robert, the
populace was