The strength of god will enable us, a small but faithful band, to overcome the multitude of the faithless -Robert Guiscard de Hauteville 1105: Simon, Count of Sicily, does not die. Instead he marries a Greek noblewoman named Maria Doukaina. They have two girls (Helena and Irene). 1108: Maria dies of smallpox. Simon is devastated and turns to the church to help him. 1111: Simon abdicates the County and leaves it to his 16 year old brother Roger II to rule it. He waited until Roger reached his majority. Simon is ordained as a priest. 1115: Simon becomes the Archbishop of Messina