Sicily, Ruggerio II, 1105-1154, AE Mezzo (half) Follaro, AH 540

Arabic(?) legends, cross, tree at center/ Arabic legends. Dated to 540 AH (1145) (crudely written out). 14mm, 0.91 grams. cf. MIR (Varesi) 29, B. (Biaggi?) 1224.

Roger II of Sicily (1095–1154) was the founder and first king of the Kingdom of Sicily, ruling from 1130 until his death. A member of the Norman Hauteville dynasty, he united the previously fragmented territories of southern Italy and Sicily into a powerful and centralized state. Roger II is especially noted for his efficient administration, religious tolerance, and patronage of culture, blending Latin, Greek, and Arab influences at his court in Palermo. Under his rule, Sicily became one of the most prosperous and sophisticated kingdoms in medieval Europe, with advances in science, geography, and architecture.