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History of Islam Vol 3 of 3 by Akbar Shah Najeebabadi

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Morocco and North Africa<br />

.<br />

229<br />

would kill him if he came back defeated. Mansur defeated Aghlab bin<br />

Abdullah. On the way back to Qairwan his troops killed him out <strong>of</strong><br />

fear for their lives and joined Mansur. Mansur became powerful and<br />

captured Qairwan. Ziyadatullah took refuge in Abbasia. After a siege<br />

<strong>of</strong> forty days Ziyadatullah became victorious and Mansur fled to<br />

Tunis. Various generals <strong>of</strong> his Army captured different parts <strong>of</strong> the<br />

country and only a very small part remained under the possession <strong>of</strong><br />

Ziyadatullah. However, he gradually subdued all other rulers and<br />

annexed their territories.<br />

Conquest <strong>of</strong> the Island <strong>of</strong> Sicily<br />

The Caesar <strong>of</strong> Constantinople ruled over Sicily<br />

where his governor<br />

carried out his orders. Caesar sent a crusading General, Qaseal to<br />

replace him and he appointed a Roman named Femi as Admiral <strong>of</strong> the<br />

Navy. Femi took the African coast <strong>by</strong> storm and established himself as<br />

a force to be feared on the sea. At this time, Caesar wrote to the<br />

Governor <strong>of</strong> Sicily to arrest and send the Admiral to him. When the<br />

Admiral came to know <strong>of</strong> this order, he went into Sicily and captured<br />

the city <strong>of</strong> Martusa. Fierce fighting took place between the Governor<br />

and the Admiral in which the former was killed. Admiral Femi then<br />

captured the whole <strong>of</strong> the Island and declared himself the sovereign<br />

ruler. He then put a person named Blat as the administrator <strong>of</strong> part <strong>of</strong><br />

the Island. Mikhail, the cousin <strong>of</strong> Blat ruled over another part <strong>of</strong> the<br />

Island. These two brothers jointly rose against Femi. After a number <strong>of</strong><br />

encounters they captured Syracuse. Femi took refuge with his fleet,<br />

and then came to Ziyadatullah for help. He sent Asad bin Furat, the<br />

Qadi <strong>of</strong> Qairwan with him at the head <strong>of</strong> a detachment.<br />

The island <strong>of</strong> Sicily was first invaded <strong>by</strong> the Muslims during the<br />

Caliphate <strong>of</strong> Muawiyah bin Abu Sufyan and was led <strong>by</strong> Abdullah bin<br />

Qays Fazari it was done as a strategy to destabilize the Romans and<br />

this happened in 33 A.H. Musa bin Nusayr, the Viceroy <strong>of</strong> Africa,<br />

invaded the Island in 85 A.H. and the Island was attacked again <strong>by</strong> a<br />

commander <strong>of</strong> Caliph Yazid bin Abdul Malik in 102 A.H. Bishr bin<br />

Safwan Kalbi attacked it in 109 A.H., during the CaUphate <strong>of</strong> Hisham<br />

bin Abdul Malik. The Muslims won victories in all these encounters<br />

and brought large amounts <strong>of</strong> booty and many captives. Mustanir in

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