The Hautevilles is a family of Norman origin. Descendants of Tancred, Lord of Hauteville-la-Guichard, they succeeded in creating the Duchy of Apulia and Calabria in the 11th century, headed by Robert Guiscard, and the County of Sicily under Roger I. Roger, known as the Great Count, was responsible for the conquest of Sicily, together with his brother Robert Guiscard. After the 1061 landing in Messina and the surrender of the city, the Normans invaded the Val Demone almost without difficulty and, with the town of Rometta, many strongholds fell. In 1072 Palermo capitulated, followed by Trapani in 1077, Agrigento in 1087, and finally Enna and Noto in 1091. The birth of the Norman kingdom was due to his successor, Roger II, who became king of Sicily, Apulia, Calabria and Capua in 1130. The coronation took place in Palermo on 25 December of the same year.
