Storia Dei Musulmani Di Sicilia, Vol. I

A historical account written in the mid-19th century. This work delves into the history of Muslim rule in Sicily from their initial arrival through historical archives, emphasizing their cultural and civilizational contributions to Europe. The book addresses the challenges faced in preserving and understanding this rich history, largely due to the lack of contemporary records and the destruction of Arabic texts during and after the Norman conquest. The opening of the text sets the context by highlighting the obscurity surrounding the history of Muslims in Sicily, despite their significant influence. Amari discusses the limited writings available from medieval Latin and Greek chroniclers and explores the gradual recovery of knowledge about this period through meticulous scholarly work from the 16th to the 18th century. He introduces the reader to various historical sources and scholars who have contributed to the understanding of Muslim Sicily, alluding to the complexities and biases that have historically clouded this vital part of Italian and European history. Overall, it sets a scholarly tone for the comprehensive exploration to follow in the subsequent chapters.