Tancred was King of Sicily from 1189 to 1194. He was born in Lecce an illegitimate son of Roger III, Duke of Apulia by his mistress Emma, a daughter of Achard II, Count of Lecce. He inherited the title "Count of Lecce" from his grandfather and is consequently often referred to as Tancred of Lecce. Due to his short stature and unhandsome visage, he was mocked by his critics as "The Monkey King".
Tancred of Sicily with his sons Roger and William
Lecce is a city in southern Italy and capital of the province of Lecce, with the second-highest population in the Apulia region. It is on the Salentine Peninsula, at the heel of the Italian Peninsula, and is over two thousand years old.
Clockwise from top left: Church of Santa Croce; Roman Theatre; the cathedral's bell tower; Lecce Cathedral ("Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta"); and Porta Napoli, in Viale Università
Piazza del Duomo
The Roman amphitheatre
Column of St Oronzo