Emirate of Sicily

This article is about the specific polity Emirate of Sicily and therefore only includes events related to its territory and not to its possessions or colonies. If you are interested in the possession, this is the link to the article about the nation which includes all possessions as well as all the different incarnations of the nation.

If you are looking for the page with the statistics about this polity you can find it here:All Statistics

Was an Islamic kingdom that ruled the island of Sicily from 831 to 1091. It was the first independent polity that controlled only territories in Sicily and controlled the entire island. It succeeded the Byzantine rule over the island.

Establishment

January 949: After 948 Sicily became an autonomous emirate under the Kalbids.

Chronology

Interactive Chronologies with maps are available in the section Changes Navigation

1. Muslim conquest of Sicily

Was the invasion of the Byzantine-held island of Sicily by the Aghlabid emirate of Ifriqiya.

May 965: Rometta was last Byzantine city of Sicily to fall in arab hands.

2. Sicilian Taifas Period

Were two periods of the Emirate of Sicily where the island was divided in several Taifas (Muslim principalities).

2.1.First Sicilian Taifas Period

The Emirate of Siciliy split into four Taifas (Muslim principalities).

January 1054: The Emirate of Siciliy splits into four states.

January 1066: In 1065, the Emirate of Palermo and Emirate of Agrigento were unified.

2.2.Second Sicilian Taifas Period

The Emirate of Siciliy split into two Taifas (Muslim principalities).

January 1069: The Emirate of Siciliy splits into 2 states: the Emirate of Syracuse and Catania and the Emirate of Palermo and Agrigento.

January 1072: Christian conquest of Catania ends the emirate of Catania.

January 1072: The Christian conquest of Catania ends the emirate of Catania.

3. Byzantine-Norman Wars

Were a series of wars between the Byzantines and the Normans in southern italy and the Balkan Peninsula.

3.1.Norman conquest of southern Italy

Were a series of military campaigns by Norman forces that slowly conquered southern Italy from the Bizyntine Empire and from local Lombard rulers.

3.1.1.Norman conquest of Sicily

Was the Norman conquest of Sicily, at the time under Muslim rule.

January 1072: Fall of Palermo to the Normans.

January 1078: In 1077 Roger besieged Trapani, one of the two remaining Saracen strongholds in the west of the island of Sicily. His son, Jordan, led a sortie which surprised guards of the garrison's livestock. With its food supply cut off, the city soon surrendered.

January 1080: In 1079 Taormina was besieged by the Normans.

April 1086: In 1086, Syracuse fell to the Normans.

March 1091: In February 1091 the Norman conquest of Sicily was completed with the taking of Noto.