Roger II created a Norman kingdom in Sicily renowned for its tolerance. It was considered rare for a kingdom to contain religious diversity in relative harmony with each other, but this kingdom was known for its relative harmony. This kingdom was continued by his grandson, William II. He was the last of the direct Norman d'Hauteville line to rule Sicily. This article will examine two cathedrals: Cefalù (built by Roger II) and Monreale (built by William II). These cathedrals are the bookends of the Norman reign of the d'Hautevilles in Sicily. They were both designed to serve as dynastic burial sites for the Hauteville family. Roger II and his heirs wanted to show themselves as heirs to the Davidic monarchy in the Bible. Cefalu and Monreale's building and mosaic program clearly established them as rulers outside the authority and tradition of the Roman papacy. This was accomplished through the use of legends, mosaic programs, presenting themselves as receiving authority from God without the need for clergy intercession, and the fusion of an ethnically and religiously diverse culture. Roger II used miraculous events to influence public opinion and create justification for the creation of Cefalù Cathedral. William II also used miraculous events to influence public opinion and justify the creation of Monreale Cathedral. In the establishment of Cefalu and Monreale, the use of miraculous events explains the reasoning for the construction of these cathedrals. These miraculous stories became legends used by kings as well as bishops in relation to cathedrals. These legends accredit the need to establish royalty or to curb the power of a...... middle of paper ......the E. "Builders, patrons and identity: the domed basilicas of Sicily and of Calabria “Gesta 43, no. 2 (2004): 99-114. Norwich, John Julius. The Normans in Sicily: The Southern Normans 1016-1130 And, The Kingdom in the Sun 1130-1194. London: Penguin, 1992. Runeiman, Steven. “Sicily: an introduction.” Mediterranean Studies 5 (1955): 1-5. Sheppard, Carl D., Jr. “Iconography of the Monreale Cloister.” The Bulletin de l’Art 31, no. 3 (1949): 159-69.Sheppard, Carl D., Jr. “A Stylistic Analysis of the Monreale Cloister.” The Art Bulletin 34, no. 1 (1952): 35-41. Takayama, Hiroshi. “Central power and multicultural elements at the Norman court of Sicily.” Mediterranean Studies 12 (2003): 1-15. Tronzo, William. The cultures of his kingdom: Roger II and the Cappella Palatina of Palermo. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1997.