Peter II (Latin: Petrus II,Italian: Pietro II,Sicilian: Pietru; 1304 – 8 August 1342) was the King of Sicily from 1337 until his death, although he was associated with his father as co-ruler from 1321. Peter's father was Frederick III of Sicily and his mother was Eleanor, a daughter of Charles II of Naples.^[1] His reign was marked by strife between the throne and the nobility, especially the old families of Ventimiglia, Palizzi and Chiaramonte, and by war between Sicily and Naples.^[2]

Contemporaries regarded Peter as feeble-minded. Giovanni Villani, in his Nuova Cronica, calls him "almost an imbecile" (Italianate Latin: quasi un mentacatto) and Nicola Speciale, in his Historia Sicula, calls him "pure and simple" (purus et simplex).^[2]

Under Peter, the Neapolitans conquered the Lipari Islands and took the cities of Milazzo and Termini in Sicily itself.^[2] He died after a short illness on 8 August 1342^[2] in Calascibetta and was buried in the cathedral of Palermo. He was succeeded by Louis, his eldest son, who was only four years old.^[3]

He married Elisabeth of Carinthia,^[4] with whom he had nine children:

• Constance (1324 – October 1355), regent of Sicily from 1352 to 1354, unmarried
• Eleanor (1325–1375), married Peter IV of Aragon, mother of Martin II of Sicily^[5]
• Beatrice (1326–1365), married Rupert II, Elector Palatine, mother of Rupert of Germany.^[6]
• Euphemia (1330–1359), regent from 1355 to 1357, unmarried
• Louis of Sicily (1338 - 1355), succeeded his father^[1]
• Frederick IV (1341 - 1377), successor of Louis^[1]
• Violante (born 1334), died young
• John (1342 – 22 June 1353), died young
• Blanche (1342–1373), married Count John I of Empúries, but had no issue