إمارة باري الإسلامية في الجنوب الإيطالي (226- 257ه/ 841- 871م)

The Islamic Emirate of Bari in Southern Italy (226-257 AH / 841-871 CE)

Abstract

The Christian-Muslim conflict in Sicily paved the way for Muslim expansion into the Italian mainland. Despite challenging conditions, Muslims managed to establish Islamic emirates in southern Italy, most notably the Emirate of Bari, which lasted for thirty years under the rule of three successive emirs. These rulers were in constant conflict with local Christian forces but skillfully exploited circumstances to consolidate their presence, subdue neighboring Christian kingdoms, and maintain vital economic and trade networks. The emirate's society was ethnically diverse, and its rulers sought recognition from the caliphate, asserting their independence from other powers.

Established in a hostile and politically volatile environment, the Emirate of Bari projected an alternative model of governance, distinct from prevailing norms in southern Italy. It reflected the ingenuity and cultural sophistication of its Muslim rulers. This study seeks to explore the role of Christian fragmentation and internal conflicts in facilitating the Muslims’ temporary dominance over Bari and shaping the course of events in the region. Key questions center on the mechanisms through which Muslims secured their rule, the governance alternatives they introduced, and the coordinated Christian efforts that ultimately led to the emirate’s downfall.

This research draws on several historical sources, including Futuh al-Buldan by Ahmad ibn Yahya al-Baladhuri, a contemporary of the emirate’s rise, and Ibn al-Athir’s Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, which provides additional insights. Michele Amari’s History of the Muslims of Sicily offers a more comprehensive account, utilizing both Latin and Arabic sources from the period. Further relevant details are found in Mohamed Talbi’s The Aghlabid State: A Political History and Ahmad Aziz’s History of Islamic Sicily. However, most of these sources discuss Bari’s history only incidentally rather than as a primary focus.

Despite the limited information available on the emirate, this study critically examines its history through careful analysis of existing historical narratives to avoid inaccuracies. The key finding is that internal Christian conflicts enabled Muslim expansion into southern Italy, culminating in Khalfun al-Barbari’s successful establishment of the Emirate of Bari. The Muslim rulers launched incursions into neighboring Christian territories, compelling them into submission at various points. The emirate sought to entrench Islam in the region and maintained allegiance solely to the Abbasid Caliphate. However, faced with mounting Christian opposition, an alliance between the Franks and Byzantines led to a relentless siege of Bari. This alone might not have caused the emirate’s fall, but the absence of support from neighboring Muslim states, particularly the Aghlabids, who remained passive in the face of the Christian campaign, ultimately sealed its