When thinking of Christian-Muslim relations in the Middle Ages, the Crusades immediately come to mind; less known is the centuries-long Christian-Muslim co-presence in present-day Southern Italy. During the time of the Staufer and Anjou kings, the Muslims in that region played a remarkable role in high politics, as well as in social, military, and economic phenomena, court culture, and journalism. What was life like for this population group under Christian rule? How did cooperation and conflict arise? Who were the Southern Italian Muslims? This study examines the relatively unexplored history of Muslims in Southern Italy from the late 12th century until their widespread enslavement in 1300 from a broad cultural-historical perspective. The work has been awarded the Scientific Promotion Prize.