A bit about history, a bit about words: Emir/Admiral
The Norman Sicilian state, which encompassed the island of Sicily and much of southern
Italy, was one of the earliest precursors of Renaissance Europe. The "half-heathen" kings of
the House of Hauteville, Roger I and Roger II, ( * see below) were brilliant, tolerant rulers
who managed to integrate a populace of western and eastern Orthodox and Muslims into
one state. Their senior naval officers were Muslims who adapted the word "emir" (lord) into
what became the word "admiral" (a lord of the sea).
The only English churchman to serve as Pope was called to the Papacy from Norman Sicily,
where he had been a cardinal archbishop. There was a fair amount of trade and interaction
between Normandy, Norman England and Norman Sicily in those years, so becoming an
archbishop in a different part of Europe was not as unusual as it would have been in later
centuries.
The text above in red was taddled from a comment to a story in "The Economist" magazine.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Re Roger II see
http://www.bestofsicily.com/mag/art124.htm
Italy, was one of the earliest precursors of Renaissance Europe. The "half-heathen" kings of
the House of Hauteville, Roger I and Roger II, ( * see below) were brilliant, tolerant rulers
who managed to integrate a populace of western and eastern Orthodox and Muslims into
one state. Their senior naval officers were Muslims who adapted the word "emir" (lord) into
what became the word "admiral" (a lord of the sea).
The only English churchman to serve as Pope was called to the Papacy from Norman Sicily,
where he had been a cardinal archbishop. There was a fair amount of trade and interaction
between Normandy, Norman England and Norman Sicily in those years, so becoming an
archbishop in a different part of Europe was not as unusual as it would have been in later
centuries.
The text above in red was taddled from a comment to a story in "The Economist" magazine.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Re Roger II see
http://www.bestofsicily.com/mag/art124.htm
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| Modern Emir |
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| Admiral Nelson? |
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