Islamic and Norman Sicily

Introductory reading

M. Brett, 'The Arab conquest and the rise of Islam in North Africa' in The Cambridge History of Africa, 8 vols, ed. J. D. Fage, vol. 2 (Cambridge, 1978), 490–555.

H. Kennedy, 'The Muslims in Europe', The New Cambridge Medieval History, vol. 2: c. 700–c. 900, ed. R. McKitterick, (Cambridge, 1995–2005), 249–79.

List of topic areas

1. Early history of the central Mediterranean

2. Sources for medieval Mediterranean history

3. Introduction to Mediterranean historiography

4. Geography of Sicily and the central Mediterranean

5. Arab-Muslim North Africa (647–827)

6. Late Byzantine Sicily and the Muslim conquest

7. Christians under Muslim rule

8. The Amirate of Bari

9. Law and learning in Muslim Sicily

10. Rebellions in the Fatimid period

11. Taxation, land tenure, the army and administration

12. Ibn Hawqal In Sicily

13. The Muslim Civil War (c.1030–60)

14. South Italy before the Normans

15. Al-Mujāhid's attack on Sardinia

16. The rise of the Normans in south Italy

17. The Hilalian ‘invasion' of Zirid Ifrīqiya

18. The Norman conquest of Sicily (1061–72)

19. The Norman conquest of Sicily and Malta (1072–91)

20. Muslim responses to the Norman conquest

21. Ecclesiastical lordships

22. The rise of new administrators

23. The early Norman administration of lands and men in Sicily

24. Rebellious lords and the incastellamento question

25. The regency of Adelaide

26. Roger II as Count of Sicily

27. Christodoulos and George of Antioch

28. Sicily and the Mediterranean (1118–28)

29. Formation of the new kingdom

30. Consolidation and development of the kingdom

31. Law, authority and kingship

32. Art and architecture of the royal palaces

33. The royal fiscal administration of lands and men

34. The trial of Philip of Mahdiyya

35. The Norman conquest of Africa

36. William I and Maio of Bari

37. The History of Hugo Falcandus

38. The Muslims and the ‘Lombards'

39. Stephen of Perche and the French contingents

40. Science, translation and patronage

41. The familiares regis

42. External relations and overseas diplomacy

43. The foundation of Monreale

44. Ibn Jubayr in Sicily

45. Abū l-Qāsim and the Muslims

46. The reign of Tancred

47. Markward and the 'amirate in the mountains'

48. The Norman legacy

49. Frederick II and the Staufen dynasty

50. The Sicilian Vespers

The Medieval Mediterranean Islamic and Norman Sicily (800–1200)
Contact us at: medievalsicily@gmail.com
Home > Mediterranean history
Home The Mediterranean (535–827) Islamic Sicily (827–1061) Norman Conquest (1061–1130) Kingdom of Sicily (1130–1250) Links and Resources Images Discussion board	Topic 1. Early history of the central Mediterranean Introductory reading Chronology and issues of periodisation from early classical period to the Byzantines (.pdf limited access) General, introductory bibliography to Islamic and Norman Sicily Discussion questions Topic 2. Sources for medieval Mediterranean history Worksheet (.pdf limited access) Discussion questions Topic 3. Introduction to Mediterranean historiography Introductory reading P. Horden and N. Purcell, The Corrupting Sea. A Study of Mediterranean History (Oxford, 2000), 26–49 (.pdf limited access) Discussion questions Topic 4. The geography of Sicily and the central Mediterranean Map studies The medieval central Mediterranean (.pdf 2.8 Mb) The pre-Islamic Mediterranean (.jpeg, 122 kB). Limited access. The Mediterranean after the Arab Conquests (.jpeg, 115 kB). Limited access. Ifriqiya and the western Maghrib (.jpeg, 129 kB) Limited access. Sicilian Channel line of sight map (.jpeg, 225 kB) Limited access. Settlement patterns in ancient Sicily (.jpeg, 82 kB) Physical relief map of Sicily (.pdf 12 mb) Main settlements of medieval Sicily (.pdf 8.2 mb) Topography of medieval Palermo (.pdf 4.9 mb) Discussion questions Topic 5. Arab-Muslim North Africa (647–827) Introductory reading M. Brett, 'The Arab conquest and the rise of Islam in North Africa' in The Cambridge History of Africa, 8 vols, ed. J. D. Fage, vol. 2 (Cambridge, 1978), 490–555. H. Kennedy, 'The Muslims in Europe', The New Cambridge Medieval History, vol. 2: c. 700–c. 900, ed. R. McKitterick, (Cambridge, 1995–2005), 249–79. The Umayyad conquest of North Africa Discussion questions	List of topic areas 1. Early history of the central Mediterranean 2. Sources for medieval Mediterranean history 3. Introduction to Mediterranean historiography 4. Geography of Sicily and the central Mediterranean 5. Arab-Muslim North Africa (647–827) 6. Late Byzantine Sicily and the Muslim conquest 7. Christians under Muslim rule 8. The Amirate of Bari 9. Law and learning in Muslim Sicily 10. Rebellions in the Fatimid period 11. Taxation, land tenure, the army and administration 12. Ibn Hawqal In Sicily 13. The Muslim Civil War (c.1030–60) 14. South Italy before the Normans 15. Al-Mujāhid's attack on Sardinia 16. The rise of the Normans in south Italy 17. The Hilalian ‘invasion' of Zirid Ifrīqiya 18. The Norman conquest of Sicily (1061–72) 19. The Norman conquest of Sicily and Malta (1072–91) 20. Muslim responses to the Norman conquest 21. Ecclesiastical lordships 22. The rise of new administrators 23. The early Norman administration of lands and men in Sicily 24. Rebellious lords and the incastellamento question 25. The regency of Adelaide 26. Roger II as Count of Sicily 27. Christodoulos and George of Antioch 28. Sicily and the Mediterranean (1118–28) 29. Formation of the new kingdom 30. Consolidation and development of the kingdom 31. Law, authority and kingship 32. Art and architecture of the royal palaces 33. The royal fiscal administration of lands and men 34. The trial of Philip of Mahdiyya 35. The Norman conquest of Africa 36. William I and Maio of Bari 37. The History of Hugo Falcandus 38. The Muslims and the ‘Lombards' 39. Stephen of Perche and the French contingents 40. Science, translation and patronage 41. The familiares regis 42. External relations and overseas diplomacy 43. The foundation of Monreale 44. Ibn Jubayr in Sicily 45. Abū l-Qāsim and the Muslims 46. The reign of Tancred 47. Markward and the 'amirate in the mountains' 48. The Norman legacy 49. Frederick II and the Staufen dynasty 50. The Sicilian Vespers
\| Home \| View by topic area\| Mediterranean History \| Islamic Sicily \| The Norman Conquest \| \| The Kingdom of Sicily \| Links and Resources \| Images \| Discussion board \|

The Medieval Mediterranean