Palermo had been the capital of the…

Palermo had been the capital of the Kingdom of Naples  before the accession of Charles of Anjou to the throne of Naples in 1266.

There was a royal residence in Naples, at the Castel Capuano.

However, when the capital was moved to Naples, Charles had ordered a new castle, not far from the sea, built to house the court.

Works directed by French architects began in 1279 and were completed three years later.

Due to the War of the Sicilian Vespers, the new fortress remains uninhabited until 1285, when Charles, who dies on January 7, is succeeded by his son, Charles of Salerno, as Charles II, though the younger Charles is at this time still incarcerated by the Aragonese.

Castel Nuovo will soon become the nucleus of the historical center of the city, and often be the site of famous events.