Arabic Administration in Norman Sicily: The Royal Diwan

by Jeremy Johns

Overview

Jeremy Johns' unique study is the first comprehensive account of the Arabic administration of Norman Sicily. While it is generally assumed that the Normans inherited their administration from the Muslim governors of the island, Johns demonstrates that the Norman kings actually restructured their administration to the model of Fatimid Egypt. Controversially, he suggests that their intention was not administrative efficiency, but the projection of their royal image. This accessible account of the Norman rulers reveals how they related to their counterparts in the Muslim Mediterranean.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521816922
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	10/07/2002
Series:	Cambridge Studies in Islamic Civilization
Pages:	410
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.94(d)

Table of Contents

Preface; Tables; Abbreviations; Genealogical table of the De Hautevilles of Sicily; Note on measurements; Introduction; 1. 'In the time of the Saracens …'; 2. 'When first the Normans crossed into Sicily …'; 3. 'Our lady, the Regent Adelaide, and our lord, the Count Roger, her son', 1101–30; 4. The earliest products of the royal dīwān, 1130–43; 5. The jarā'id renewed, 1144–5; 6. The records of the royal dīwān, part I: the jarā'id al-rijāl; 7. The records of the royal dīwān, part II: the dafātir al-hudūd; 8. The duties and organisation of the royal dīwān; 9. 'The people of his state'. The 'palace Saracens' and the royal dīwān; 10. The Norman dīwān and Fātimid Egypt; 11. Royal dīwān and royal image; Appendices; List of references; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"...an important contribution to the study of the post-conquest history of Sicily. ...a useful and obligatory text of reference for years to come." Canadian Journal of History

"It is a work of luminous scholarship...also wonderfully written. Careful reading, even for nonspecialists, yields a rich prize: awareness of a fascinating and anomalous chapter of premodern Mediterranean history." History

"Johns has made a major contribution to our understanding of the monarchy ... Scholars are going to be building on John's research in numerous areas for a long time." The International History Review

"This is a compelling and accessible account of the Norman rulers and how they related to their counterparts in the Muslim Mediterranean." Middle East

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