The madcap diplomat
During Henry’s reign, blind faith often won out over realpolitik
6 0othing eZemplified better *enryos naivety than the 5icilian aʘair 6he throne of Sicily was theoretically the pope’s to bestow, and in 1255 Pope Alexander conceded it to Edmund, Henry’s 10-year-old second son (or *enry the pri\e seemed great, for 5icily was a wealthy kingdom Having lost his continental empire, the king could now establish his dynasty as a /editerranean power But Sicily was falling under the control of Manfred, son of the late 'mperor (rederick II, and a military campaign would be needed to oust him *enry also had to find large sums of money for the pope in return for the oʘer of the kingdom 2arliament, as *enry acknowledged in a letter, thought the project “not merely difficult but nearly impossibleq $ut *enry pressed on anyway – and his reasons for doing so reveal his core beliefs p9e did not wish to abandon what we had begun, directing our eyes to the king of heaven and ruler of the constellations, who is able to command sea and wind, bring tranquillity where there is disturbance, and convert darkness into light q On the day he sealed the deal, Henry made a magnificent oʘering to the %onfessoros shrine, pfor Edmund, son of the king, that God shall give a happy outcome to his 5icilian enterpriseq $ut )od did not 2arliament refused to give *enry the money needed to send an army to 5icily 4ealising Henry’s powerlessness, the pope cancelled the whole deal 'dmund never became king of 5icily