Article Review: "What became of medieval Sicily’s Arabs? Genetic Demographic Evidence" by Louis Mendola

 

A street mural from Mazara, one of the original landing points of Muslims from Tunisia. Photo by blog author.

Summary: 
This short research article seeks to answer concisely what happened to the Arabs from the Muslim era of Sicily with genetic evidence, and based on previous research by the author himself, Louis Mendola. The research shows that genetic testing both reinforces the recorded historical facts and fills in some of the question marks. It is known and recorded that the final stand by Sicilian Muslims against the rule of the Normans and the land ownership of the Catholic Church was in the Iato area of West Sicily and resulted in Frederick II deporting an estimated 20,000 Muslims to Lucera in what today is Southern Italy. What the DNA evidence adds and that the historical record suggest is that many more Muslims integrated into Latin Sicily. Effectively, the Arab lineage never left, and continues to be part of the genetic heritage of almost all present-day Sicilians (and by extension, those in the Sicilian diaspora).

Key Quotes, Information, or Chapter:

• “By 1250, there were no Byzantine dioceses in Sicily; only a few Orthodox monasteries remained. Following a series of revolts, a few thousand Muslim Arabs were deported to Lucera in Apulia, while thousands more converted to Catholicism. By 1250, mosques were a rare sight.”

• “The genetic record revealed by DNA haplotyping confirms what historians have always known about the diversity of Sicily’s historic populations.”

• “Sicily’s population, like its culture, has been essentially endogamous since around 1300.”

• “In the case of Sicily, it has validated recorded history rather than challenged it.”

• “In its essence, the genetic evidence suggests that the greater part of Sicily’s Arabs did not simply leave the island (for Tunisia or other Fatimid lands), nor were they deported during the reign of Frederick II. Rather, such evidence as exists implies that the great majority assimilated with the Latin population, adopted Christianity and remained here in Sicily, in much the same manner as the Greek-speakers were Latinized.”

Map from What became of medieval Sicily’s Arabs? Genetic Demographic Evidence © 2016 Louis Mendola

Reflections of il Moro: 
The final quote says it all, “the great majority [of Arabs] assimilated with the Latin population, adopted Christianity and remained here in Sicily.” It is not just the DNA evidence either. It is well documented in the place names, surnames, language, food, art, and culture of Sicily. In my own family, we have the DNA evidence, but also a last name derived from Arabic, and come from a part of Sicily that historically had a large number of Arabs. Part of what Mendola tries to get at is that it is the layers of historical evidence that speak to the enduring presence. Last names alone were not necessarily indicators of DNA heritage (despite what some online sites claim), region alone is not an indicator, DNA alone is only part of the story, having Arab food in culinary tradition is not the full story - it is all of these things together that have been woven through a culture that has been largely “endogamous” (i.e. genetically unchanging) for the last 700+ years that speak to our Arab heritage.

Full article by Louis Mendola

Book Review of "Narrating Muslim Sicily" by William Granara

 

Summary: 
"Narrating Muslim Sicily: War and Peace in the Medieval Mediterranean World" by William Granara looks at primary documents of Muslim writers (mostly legal scholars and poets) to make sense of the political and cultural landscape of Sicily over about 500 years right before, during, and after Muslim rule in Sicily. Granara has previously written extensively on the Sicilian Muslim, Ibn Hamdis, who grew up in Siracusa, and this book includes an in-depth analysis of his poetry, and other poetry by Muslim authors as a means to understand cultural and political forces during the time of Muslim rule. It concludes with describing the way these forces had a lasting impact into Norman rule and beyond.

 

Key Quote, Information or Chapter: 
This book is well organized with an in-depth overview of the start and end of Muslim rule, and in interpretation of complex forces that opened the doors to it, including how internal conflict both opened the doors to Muslim rule and to Muslim succession by the Normans.

Here is some of the key Sicilian history that is covered:
- It starts with identifying the source of much of recent Arab-Sicilian history research going back to Michele Amari (1806 - 1889), the author of "Biblioteca Arabo-Sicula," and "Storia dei Musulmani di Sicilia" and looks at key sources of information, most from after the time of Muslim rule, including Ibn Hawqal, a traveler (973), Ibn al-Athir, historian (1233), al-Nuwayri, historian (1333), and Ibn Khaldun, historian (1406).
- Dar al-Islam (the Muslim world) had quickly expanded across Ifriqiya (North Africa) right across from Sicily. Asad ibn al-Furat from the Aghlabid Dynasty led the charge into Sicily in the 800, first landing in Mazara. The Aghlabid Dynasty was in charge from 827 - 909 under Ziyadat-allah leadership from Tunisia. As more Muslims came into Sicily, there was a distinct split between Arab Muslims, who were mostly centered in Palermo and North African Berbers (Amazigh).
- In 909, the Fatimids come into power, they are Shi'ites (where most Muslims in Sicily at the time were Sunni), and centered in Cairo (a city founded by a Sicilian Muslim!). They were in power until 944. During this the Fatimid caliph, 'Ubayd Allah ruled through direct proxy. The governor of Sicily, al-Hasan ibn Ahmad ibn Abi Khinzir arrived in Mazara and was a Kutama Berber. al-Hasan's broth, 'Ali, was a regional governor of Agrigento. Sicilians reject the brother and elected Ahmed ibn Qurhub.
- This was not strictly a sectarian conflict, but was more about resisting the rule of North Africa.
- ibn Qurhub pledges support to the rising Abbasid caliph, al-Muqtadir, in Baghdad, in rebellion of the Fatimids, but the Berbers in Agrigento rebelled against this and re-aligned with the Fatimids.
- ibn Qurhub is excusted, and the Fatimids send Abu Sa'id Musa ibn Ahmad with the back up of Kutama Berbers to establish rule.
- It ultimately doesn't work as Agrigento rebels again, and in 937, there is a series of conflicts of near civil war and an attempt by the Byzantines to return to rule. This leads to a high death toll, emigration of Muslims from Sicily, conflict with North Africa and starvation.
- The Fatmids lose control, and the Kalbids rule from 944 - 1044, the Kalb Tribe achieved greater cohesion among the Muslims in Sicily. al-Hasan ibn 'Ali, from a line of Sicilian Muslims leads, and his son, al-Mu'izz takes over after.
- Trade opens up with the Fatimids in Cairo, Taromina, the last Christian stronghold, falls, and the Byzantines are defeated, leading to three peaceful decades.
- This was a period of strong scholarship in the tradition of Maliki law, Arabic language, and poetry.
- 998 - Instability begins as infightings grows after Abu al-Futuh is paralyzed due to illness
- 1036 - Sunni Sicilians organize to oppose Shi'ite Fatimids
- 1038 - Continued disunity and fighting, Byzantine pressure, and Normans moving through Southern Italy leads to warlords dividing the island
- Normans attempt to align with East Sicily and easily dismantle Muslim rule while the Fatimids were focused on island to the East and fighting the Zirids in North Africa
- Castogiovanni (Enna), Agrigento, and Noto are resisted and were Muslim strongholds, but the Normans were able to take over.

Reflections of il Moro: 
"Narrating Muslim Sicily" has a thoughtful ending of placing Federico II as both the "wonder of the world," and the ruler responsible for expelling Muslims. A multicultural "King of Sicily," "the Holy Roman Emperor," "the baptized Sultan," and "King of Jerusalem." He was a champion of Muslim intellect, Arab language, and Eastern customs, and a villain in the Sicilian-Arab Jesu and Guifa tales. The contradictions and blurred boarders of Federico II are similar to the history and present of Sicilia, a place that exist in the past and continues to define itself in the present. A place that has been part of Europe, part of the East, and part of Africa at different points. A Catholic island with elements Muslim burial rituals (vigil and burial soon after death) and Eastern traditions (like churches oriented toward Jerusalem, deep devotion to Mary and Saints, etc). A place were people still greet each other with "Assabinirica" from "As-salamu alaykum." All of these things co-exist and are true at the same time, it is what makes Sicilia Sicilia.