Chapter XV: The Moslem Domination in Sicily

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Classic Souvenirs of Sicily--Its Great Natural
Advantages--It becomes the Stronghold of the
Papacy--Invasion of the Arabs--They besiege
Syracuse--Strength of that City--Failure of the
Enterprise--Capture of Palermo--Rapid Progress of
the Moslems--Condition of Italy--Arab Alliance with
Naples--Messina taken--Betrayal of Castrogiovanni--Rout of
the Greeks near Syracuse--Feuds of the Conquerors--Their
Successes in Italy--Second Siege of Syracuse--The
City is stormed and destroyed by Ibn-Mohammed--Peril
of Rome--Appearance of the Normans in the South of
Europe--They invade Sicily--Siege of Palermo--Subjection
of the Island--Influence of the Moslems over their
Conquerors--General Condition of Sicily--Its
Civilization--Palermo and its Environs--Science, Art, and
Literature--The Great Work of Edrisi--Arab Occupation of
Sardinia, Crete, Corsica, and Malta 1