Kalbids

The Kalbite (Arabic بني كلب, DMG Banī calf ) was a Muslim dynasty in Sicily that there - there was 948-1053 - with a brief interruption from 1036 to 1040.

History

Rise

In the context of internal conflicts in the Byzantine Empire ended the 827 Aghlabids from Ifriqiya / Tunisia with 10,000 men under Asad ibn al - Furat in Marsala, Sicily. Since the attack on Syracuse failed, began the long-running conquest of the island. So 831 Palermo was conquered. The new capital Syracuse was 878, and only 902 with Taormina was the last Byzantine stronghold conquered. At the same time found extensive raids take place through large parts of southern Italy, in Taranto and Bari even own Emirates was born. During this time were held constant power struggles for dominance among the Muslims. Nominally was under the rule of the island Aghlabids and later the Fatimids.

Isma `il al - Mansur (* 913, † 953 ), the third Fatimid caliph, began after the suppression of the out of Abu Yazid in North Africa uprising and civil unrest in Sicily 948 Hassan al - Kalbi as governor of the island. This is to stabilize his rule as Amir to establish a dynasty and ward Byzantine attacks succeeded. Also, succeeded him and his successors to make her more independent Emirate of Ifriqiya, especially after the Fatimid caliphs moved their seat 973 of Ifriqiya to Cairo. Although the Fatimids had their vassals Buluggin ibn Ziri ( 971-984 ) was used as viceroy in Ifriqiya, but as they had taken their fleet to Egypt to take control of the Kalbite in Sicily was lost.

Flower

Also among the Kalbite the raids have continued to Italy until the beginning of the 11th century, with 982 a German army under Otto II at the Battle of Cape Colonna was defeated at Crotone in Calabria by Emir Abu al -Qasim, although the Emir himself fell in battle.

Among the Kalbite Sicily with Palermo was an important economic center of the Mediterranean world and a center of Islam in Italy. Thus introduced the Muslims lemons, bitter oranges, sugar cane, cotton and mulberry trees for silkworm breeding and built the irrigation of agriculture. Even Sicily had as a hub for trade between the Middle East, North Africa and the Italian maritime republics such as Amalfi, Pisa and Genoa importance. Palermo became one of the main trading centers in the western Mediterranean, and the vielfaltigen needs of the fast growing city inspired the dense population of its hinterland. This was done partly by forcibly resettled Sicilians, but also with currents of Islamic immigrants from the struck by drought and famine and North Africa in the 11th century and from the Iberian Al -Andalus. There were also many deported from North Africa Berbers who were settled over a punishment for their local resistance against the Fatimids in Sicily. Around the middle of the 11th century, so estimates were about half a million Muslims in Sicily, above all, in the west of the island.

Decline

With Yusuf al - Kalbi ( 990-998 ) the decline of the dynasty began because he had left his sons the government and the Zirids of Ifriqiya in Sicily intervened. Under al - Akhal (1017-1037) is the dynastic conflict intensified, with the parties allied with Byzantium and the Zirids. From 1036 to 1040 succeeded the Zirids Abdallah to seize power for themselves, and thus to break the rule of the Kalbite briefly. Even if the Zirids could not fix permanently in Sicily, fell apart under the last Kalbite, Hasan as- Samsam (1040-1053), the Emirate of Sicily into several small principalities. After the extinction of Kalbite in 1053 ended in 1061, the southern Italian Normans under Roger I of Sicily and began the conquest of the island, which was completed in 1091. The Muslims could stay in the country and played in the administration, army and economy of the Norman kingdom in the 12th century still a significant role.

Kalbitische ruler of Sicily

• Hassan al - Kalbi ( 948-954 ), † 964
• Ahmad ibn Hassan ( 954-969 ), son of Hassan al - Kalbi
• Abu l -Qasim ( 969-982 ), son of Ahmad ibn Hassan
• Jabir al - Kalbi ( 982-983 )
• Jafar al - Kalbi ( 983-985 )
• Abd -Allah al - Kalbi ( 985-989 )
• Yusuf al - Kalbi ( 989-998 )
• Ja'far al - Kalbi (998-1019)
• Al - Akhal (1019-1037)

• Interlude: Abdallah (1037-1040), ( Ziri )

• Hasan as- Samsam (1040-1053)