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How did Frederick II strengthen royal authority in the Kingdom of Sicily?

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Frederick II strengthened royal authority in the Kingdom of Sicily through a series of administrative, military, and economic reforms designed to centralize power and reduce the influence of local barons and the papacy:

Political Consolidation: He broke the resistance of the barons by revoking their privileges and successfully suppressed rebellious Saracens, whom he later resettled in Apulia. These resettled subjects became his loyal bodyguard, providing him with a force immune to papal influence.1
Administrative and Legal Reform: He established a civil service and founded the University of Naples in 1224 to train candidates for state administration. His efforts toward good government were further codified in the Constitutions of Melfi in 1231.12
Economic and Military Control: He brought trade under state control, established state monopolies on certain manufactured products, and developed a navy and merchant fleet. To secure his borders, he erected a network of castles and fortifications.1