Sicily has been the object of desire of many conquerors throughout history. A strategic location between three continents, it has attracted many kingdoms. Greece and Rome fought Carthage for control here and won. The Muslims were also here in the 10th and 11th centuries. The Normans (Vikings) and after them the Holy Roman Empire, France, Spain, and others.

Before the unification of Italy in 1861, Sicily was under the control of the House of Bourbon in Napoli as part of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. The Jews were here, as well; some 30,000 before they were expelled from the island in January 1494 as part of the expulsion of the Jews of Spain (Sicily was then under the control of the Spanish crown).