Abstract
The medieval wine trade in Sicily and Southern Italy was significantly different from that of the north. It was subject to the regions' unique political, economic and social influences. Throughout the period in question, it suffered from a series of foreign invaders. It fell in turn under the sphere of the Normans, the Angevins and the Aragonese. In addition, the Crown's association with northern merchants and businessmen determined the direction of much of the trade. Internally, the South had its own set of conflicts within its feudal families. They, too, infiltrated the regions ' commercial activity. Ultimately, like the foreigners, they controlled much of the wine industry. The result of these vested interests was tragic. It stymied investment and entrepreneurialism for centuries, leaving the area critically underdeveloped