On March 30, 1282, as the bells of Palermo rang for Vespers, the Sicilian populace rose up against the French rule of Charles of Anjou, massacring the French garrison and administration. This revolt, known as the Sicilian Vespers, was a spontaneous popular uprising against oppressive fiscal policies and foreign domination. The rebellion led to the invitation of Peter III of Aragon to claim the Sicilian throne, sparking a war that would reshape the political landscape of the Mediterranean.

The Sicilian Vespers was a watershed event that inspired a rich tradition of Italian and Catalan literature, including chronicles and epic poems that celebrated the rebellion and the Aragonese intervention. The event was immortalized in the works of many writers, including the Sicilian poet Giovanni Meli, and became a potent symbol of resistance against tyranny in Italian literature. The Vespers also influenced the development of the Italian novella, as the story was retold in works like Boccaccio's Decameron.