Judith of Évreux (1040-1076)

A story of the Norman conquest in Italy

In the 11th century, the Normans leave their homeland to venture far beyond Northern Europe. Knights, princes, and adventurers then stand out in the Mediterranean, particularly in Southern Italy and Sicily. Among them, Judith of Évreux, a Norman noblewoman, embodies the essential role of women in this epic of conquests and alliances.

Wife of Roger of Hauteville, future Count of Sicily, Judith of Évreux accompanies the foundation of a new Norman power at the heart of the Mediterranean. Through her marriage, she participates in the construction of a network of political and dynastic alliances, essential to the success of the conquest and the stabilization of the newly acquired territories.

Drawing from the documentary archives of the heritage library of Évreux dedicated to the Normans in Sicily, this exhibition retraces the conquest of the island, the great figures of the Hauteville family, and the unique fate of Judith of Évreux. Thematic panels present the map of the Norman conquest of Sicily, the genealogy of the Hautevilles, as well as the role of feudalism and marital alliances in the assertion of Norman power.

Excerpts from the Chronicle of Geoffroi Malaterra, adapted into accessible narratives, punctuate the journey and offer a nearly narrated reading of this Mediterranean adventure, especially aimed at a young audience.

The scenography highlights the documents at the center of the room, while a fabric printed with a representation of Roger of Hauteville during the conquest of Sicily, inspired by a work preserved at the Louvre Museum, dresses the space and immerses the visitor in the heart of this Norman epic.

Through the journey of Judith of Évreux, the exhibition invites a rediscovery of a Normandy open to the world, a major player in the political and cultural exchanges of the Middle Ages.

Free
All audiences