County of Sicily was created by Robert Guiscard in 1071 for his younger brother Roger Bosso. Guiscard himself had received the title Duke of Sicily ("dux Siciliae") in 1059 from Pope Nicholas II as encouragement to conquer it from the Muslims. In 1061 the first permanent Norman conquest (Messina) was made and in 1071, after the fall of Palermo, the capital of the emirate and future capital of the county, Guiscard invested Roger with the title of count and gave him full jurisdiction in the island save for half the city of Palermo, Messina, and the Val Demone, which he retained for himself.
The Other Sicily The Other Sicily The Other Sicily ("L'Altra Sicilia") is an association primarily involved in assisting Sicilian emigrants. It is based in Brussels (Belgium), from where it publishes a bimonthly named "L'Isola", and its founder and president is Francesco Paolo Catania. In the run-up of the 2006 general election the association teamed up with the For the South party and finally participated to the election under "The Other Sicily – For the South" banner in the "Europe" constituency for Italians abroad. The list received 2.1% of the vote in the constituency. The association strongly defends Sicilian identity and autonomy, while frequently