Ending the War of the Sicilian Vespers

Abstract

Schneidman's paper treats the case of a war in which major hostilities ended within two years, and the final settlement approximated conditions established within the first year, but where hostilities were nevertheless prolonged or resumed in desultory fashion for two decades. Shneidman provides much useful information on the role of military developments, domestic and external pressures on the various parties, their conflicting objectives, face-saving, etc. He discusses explicitly various peace proposals, an abortive peace treaty in the course of the war, and the conditions under which the war finally did end.