Арабское завоевание Сицилии

Тотальный полуисторический

5 Nov 202308:02

Summary

TLDRThe script details the Arab conquest of Sicily, beginning with an unsuccessful attack in 652. It chronicles the intensification of efforts following the capture of Carthage and the rise of the Ifriqi Emirate. Despite treaties and internal conflicts, the Arabs gradually conquered Sicily, with Palermo becoming a key stronghold. The Byzantines made several attempts to reclaim the island, but by 877, Sicily was fully under Arab control. The Normans eventually took over in 1061, marking the end of Arab rule and the beginning of Norman dominance in Sicily.

Takeaways

🏛️ The first Arab attack on Sicily occurred in 652 AD under the orders of the Syrian ruler Muawiya I, but was unsuccessful due to the strength of Byzantine fortifications.
📈 After the Umayyad Caliphate captured Carthage in 698 AD and the islands of Pantelleria in 700 AD, Arab attempts to conquer Sicily increased, especially with the establishment of the Ifriqiyan Emirate in 745 AD.
🔄 Despite the Ifriqiyan Emirate's strength, its attacks on Sicily were irregular and mainly raiding, with a ten-year agreement signed with Byzantium by Emir Abdallah I in 813 AD for a trade treaty.
⚔ In 826 AD, Byzantine commander Euphemius, who was the governor of Sicily, captured Ifriqiyan trade ships and plundered the coast of the emirate, leading to a breakdown of Arab-Byzantine peace.
👑 Euphemius declared himself the ruler of Sicily after seizing Syracuse and defeating the forces of the Sicilian patrician Constantine, but was later betrayed and forced to flee the island.
🛳 In 827 AD, a combined Byzantine-Arab fleet led by the qadi Asad ibn al-Furat landed in Sicily, and after initial successes, the siege of Syracuse lasted until 828 AD when disease struck the city.
🚨 The arrival of a Byzantine fleet from Constantinople in 828 AD saved Syracuse, but the Arab forces retreated to Mineo and split into two, with one group capturing Agrigento and the other led by Euphemius being killed at Enna.
🛡 Byzantine reinforcements under Strategos Feodot arrived in Sicily in 829 AD and by autumn had liberated most of the island, except for Palermo, which fell in September 831 AD after a long siege.
🛑 Palermo was renamed al-Madinah and became an important Arab stronghold and the capital of the province of Aglobid, with Abu Fih al-Muhammad ibn Abdallah appointed as its first military governor in March 832 AD.
🏰 After unsuccessful attempts to conquer Enna, the Muslims captured several fortresses in Sicily and expanded their control to mainland Italy, capturing Taranto, Bari, and Brindisi.
📉 The fall of Enna in 859 AD was a significant blow to the Byzantines, who sent a fleet of 300 ships under Constantine Kontomytes in 870 AD, which was defeated.
🏹 The last Byzantine stronghold in Sicily, Taormina, was captured in 965 AD, and the Fatimid Caliphate's fleet inflicted a crushing defeat on the Byzantines in the Strait of Messina in 909 AD, effectively ending Byzantine attempts to reclaim Sicily.
🛡️ Norman conquest of Sicily began in 1061 AD, with Roger of Hauteville, son of a minor Norman baron, capturing Messina and defeating the Arabs at Enna, eventually becoming the Duke of Sicily.

Q & A

When did the first Arab invasion of Sicily occur?
-The first Arab invasion of Sicily occurred in 652 AD, under the orders of the ruler of Syria, Muawiya I.
What event in 698 AD intensified Arab attempts to conquer Sicily?
-The capture of Carthage by the Umayyad Caliphate in 698 AD intensified Arab attempts to conquer Sicily.
What significant development in 745 AD affected the Arab efforts in Sicily?
-The emergence of the Ifriqiyan Emirate with its center in Kairouan (now Tunisia) in 745 AD affected the Arab efforts in Sicily.
Why did the Emir Abdallah I ibn Ibrahim seek a trade agreement with Sicily in 813 AD?
-Emir Abdallah I ibn Ibrahim sought a trade agreement with Sicily in 813 AD to establish peaceful relations and economic benefits.
What action by Euphemius, the Byzantine commander, in 826 AD led to the breakdown of Arab-Byzantine peace?
-Euphemius captured several Ifriqiyan trading ships and raided the coast of the Emirate, which led to the breakdown of Arab-Byzantine peace in 826 AD.
Who was declared an outlaw by the Byzantine Emperor Michael II after the incident in 826 AD?
-Euphemius, the Byzantine commander and fleet leader of Sicily, was declared an outlaw by Emperor Michael II.
What event led to Euphemius proclaiming himself the ruler of Sicily?
-Euphemius proclaimed himself the ruler of Sicily after taking Syracuse and defeating the forces of the Sicilian patrician Constantine, taking advantage of the weakened state of the Byzantine Empire.
What was the outcome of the Arab-Byzantine naval battle in 827 AD?
-The Arab-Byzantine naval battle in 827 AD resulted in the Arab forces landing near the town of Mazara and eventually advancing towards Syracuse.
What was the significance of the fall of Palermo in 831 AD to the Arab forces?
-The fall of Palermo in 831 AD marked a significant victory for the Arab forces, as Palermo became an important Arab stronghold and the capital of the province of Aglobid.
How did the Byzantine Empire attempt to regain control of Sicily after the fall of Palermo?
-The Byzantine Empire sent a fleet of 300 ships under the command of Constantine Contomites, the victor of the Cretan Saracens, in an attempt to regain control of Sicily.
What was the final outcome of the Byzantine attempts to regain Sicily in the 10th century?
-The final outcome of the Byzantine attempts to regain Sicily in the 10th century was failure, with their last stronghold, the fortress of Rometta, falling in 965 AD.

Outlines

00:00

🏛️ Arab Conquests of Sicily

The script details the Arab invasions of Sicily, beginning with the first unsuccessful attempt in 652 AD under the Umayyad Caliphate. It discusses the intensification of efforts following the capture of Carthage and the establishment of the Ifriqiyan Emirate. Despite the Emirate's strength, its attacks on Sicily were irregular and primarily raiding in nature. A ten-year peace agreement with the Byzantine Empire was disrupted by the seizure of Ifriqiyan trade ships by Euphemius, a Byzantine commander, in 826. This led to Euphemius declaring himself ruler of Sicily, only to be ousted by betrayal. The script also covers the joint Arab-Byzantine fleet's invasion in 827, the siege of Syracuse, and the eventual capture of Palermo in 831, marking the establishment of Arab rule in Sicily.

05:03

🛡️ Byzantine and Norman Efforts in Sicily

This paragraph outlines the Byzantine Empire's efforts to regain control of Sicily after its fall to the Arabs. It describes the failed attempts to liberate Palermo and the final Byzantine efforts in the 10th and 11th centuries. The narrative then shifts to the Norman conquest of Sicily, initiated by Roger of Hauteville, who exploited internal conflicts within the Emirate. Roger's successful campaign led to the Norman control of Sicily by 1090, with Palermo's capture in 1071 and the subjugation of the remaining Muslim-held cities. The paragraph concludes with the Norman rule over Sicily under the suzerainty of Roger's brother, Robert Guiscard, and the eventual full Norman control by the end of the 11th century.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Sicily

Sicily is a large island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian mainland. In the video's context, it is the primary geographical focus as it narrates the historical events of Arab invasions and the subsequent conflicts over its control. The script mentions Sicily's strategic importance and the various attempts to conquer it, such as the initial Arab attack in 652 and the eventual Norman conquest in 1061.

💡Arab invasions

The term 'Arab invasions' refers to the military campaigns launched by Arab forces to expand their territories. In the script, the first Arab invasion of Sicily is mentioned as occurring in 652 AD under the orders of the Umayyad Caliphate. These invasions are central to the video's theme, illustrating the historical struggle for power and territorial control in the Mediterranean region.

💡Umayyad Caliphate

The Umayyad Caliphate was the second major Islamic caliphate after the Rashidun Caliphate. It was an Arab Muslim state, stretching from the Arabian Peninsula to the Atlantic Ocean. The script notes the Umayyad Caliphate's role in the initial Arab attempts to conquer Sicily, highlighting its influence and military power in the region during the 7th and 8th centuries.

💡Ifriqiyan Emirate

The Ifriqiyan Emirate was an autonomous Muslim state that emerged in North Africa in 745 AD, with its center in Kairouan, now Tunisia. The script describes the emirate's significance in the Arab conquest of Sicily, noting that despite its power, its attacks on Sicily were not regular and often pillaging in nature.

💡Euphemius

Euphemius was a Byzantine military commander and governor of Sicily who played a pivotal role in the script's narrative. He is depicted as seizing power in Sicily, only to be later ousted and seeking help from the Ifriqiyan Emirate to reconquer the island. His actions and alliances exemplify the political instability and shifting allegiances of the period.

💡Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. The script discusses the Byzantine Empire's involvement in the defense of Sicily against Arab invasions, including the failed attempts to maintain control over the island and the eventual loss of key strongholds.

💡Siege of Palermo

The Siege of Palermo refers to the military operation conducted by the Arab forces to capture the city of Palermo in Sicily. The script details the prolonged siege from July 830 to September 831, which ended with Palermo's surrender and renaming to al-Madinah, marking a significant turning point in the Arab conquest of Sicily.

💡Norman Conquest of Sicily

The Norman Conquest of Sicily was a series of military campaigns undertaken by the Normans, led by Roger Bosso and later his son Roger I, to conquer the island from the Muslims. The script mentions the Normans' strategic use of internal conflicts within the Sicilian Emirate to gradually take control of Sicily, culminating in the complete conquest by 1090.

💡Emir

An emir is a title for a commander or leader, often used to denote a ruler of a Muslim community or region. In the script, various emirs are mentioned.

Highlights

First Arab attack on Sicily by a small fleet in 652 under the orders of the Umayyad Caliph Muawiyah I, but failed due to strong Byzantine fortifications.

Arab attempts to conquer Sicily intensified after the Umayyad Caliphate captured Carthage in 698 and the islands of Pantelleria in 700.

The emergence of the Ifriqiyan Emirate in 745 with its center in Kairouan (now Tunisia) marked a significant shift in the region's power dynamics.

Despite its strength, the Ifriqiyan Emirate's attacks on Sicily were irregular and mainly raiding, with a ten-year agreement signed with the Byzantine Empire in 813.

Arab-Byzantine peaceful relations ended in 826 when the Byzantine commander Euphemius captured Ifriqiyan trading ships and plundered the emirate's coast.

Euphemius declared himself ruler of Sicily in 827, but was soon betrayed and forced to flee the island.

The Byzantine-Arab fleet set out from Sousse in June 827, led by the qadi Asad ibn al-Furat, and landed at Mazara del Vallo.

The siege of Syracuse by the Arab forces lasted until spring 828, when a plague broke out in the starving city, killing the qadi Asad.

The arrival of a Byzantine fleet from Constantinople saved Syracuse, but the Arab forces retreated to the castle of Mineo near Catania.

In spring 829, Emperor Michael II sent a new fleet under the command of the strategist Theodotus, who managed to liberate most of the island by autumn.

The final Byzantine victory was hindered by the arrival of an Arab fleet from Sardinia in 830, which attempted to subjugate the Cordovan Emirate.

Despite being at odds with the Ifriqiyan Emirate, their forces jointly captured most of Sicily and besieged Palermo in July 830.

Palermo fell in September 831 after a long siege, becoming an important Arab stronghold and the capital of the province of Aghlabid.

The fall of Enna, the key Byzantine stronghold in central Sicily, in January 859 forced Emperor Michael III to send a fleet of 300 ships.

The Norman conquest of Sicily began in 1061, with Roger of Hauteville, son of a minor Norman baron, capturing Messina and defeating the Arabs at Enna.

After capturing Palermo in 1071 and all of southern Italy, Roger was proclaimed Duke of Sicily under the suzerainty of his elder brother, Count Robert Guiscard of Apulia.

The last Sicilian city fell under Norman rule in 1090, ending the Arab control of Sicily that had lasted since 827.