Ahmed es-Sikeli
Encyclopedia
Ahmed es-Sikeli baptised a Christian under the name Peter, was a eunuch and kaid
of the Diwan of the Kingdom of Sicily
during the reign of William I
. His story was recorded by his Christian contemporaries Romuald Guarna and Hugo Falcandus
from Sicily and the Muslim historian Ibn Khaldun
.
Peter was born a Muslim in Djerba
to a Berber family of the Sadwikish tribe. After his conversion he entered the service of the Sicilian crown and rose to the rank of admiral in the navy. During the reconquest of Roger I
's "Kingdom of Africa
" by the Muslims (1159), Peter led 160 ships in a raiding expedition to the Muslim-held Balearic Islands
. He later tried to relieve besieged Mahdia
in North Africa with the same fleet, but soon after engaging in battle he turned around and retreated towards Sicily. While Arabic sources credit a gale with dispersing the fleet, the Hugo Falcandus asserts that Peter was "only in name and dress a Christian, and a Saracen at heart". Falcandus' assertion can probably be discredited, at least with respect to this point in Peter's life, for the admiral did not fall out of favour at court. In fact, he was promoted to the office of Great Chamberlain
.
In 1162, Peter replaced the deceased Count Sylvester of Marsico
in the triumvirate of officials—including Matthew of Ajello
and Richard Palmer—in whom the king had confided the administration of the realm since the assassination of his prime minister, Maio of Bari
, in 1160. On the her husband's death (1166) Queen Margaret of Navarre assumed the regency for her young son William II
. She trusted neither the nobility nor the church and so turned to the palatine officials and the triumvirs, of which she did not trust Matthew of Ajello. She promoted the chief eunuch, Peter, to the highest post in the kingdom, the one formerly held by Maio of Bari, but did not grant him the latter's title "emir of emirs" (ammiratus ammiratorum).
Peter was despised by the nobility and soon the queen's cousin, Gilbert, Count of Gravina
, was plotting against his life. Unable either to keep control of Sicily or to control Gilbert, Peter initially strengthened his bodyguard and eventually absconded, taking with him a quantity of treasure and severely embarrassing the queen regent. Reassuming his birth name of Ahmed and practising Islam, he crossed to Africa and became a captain of the fleet of the Almohad caliph Yusuf I. According to Ibn Khaldun, who calls him Ahmed es-Sikeli ("Ahmed the Sicilian"), he fought with valour against Christian foes.
Kaid
A kaid or caïd was a title in the Norman kingdom of Sicily. It applied to palatine officials and members of the curia, usually to those who were Muslims or converts from Islam, often eunuchs, but sometimes to others...
of the Diwan of the Kingdom of Sicily
Kingdom of Sicily
The Kingdom of Sicily was a state that existed in the south of Italy from its founding by Roger II in 1130 until 1816. It was a successor state of the County of Sicily, which had been founded in 1071 during the Norman conquest of southern Italy...
during the reign of William I
William I of Sicily
William I , called the Bad or the Wicked, was the second king of Sicily, ruling from his father's death in 1154 to his own...
. His story was recorded by his Christian contemporaries Romuald Guarna and Hugo Falcandus
Hugo Falcandus
Hugo Falcandus was an Italian historian who chronicled the reign of William I of Sicily and the minority of his son William II in a highly critical work entitled The History of the Tyrants of Sicily . There is some doubt as to whether "Hugo Falcandus" is a real name or a pseudonym. Evelyn Jamison...
from Sicily and the Muslim historian Ibn Khaldun
Ibn Khaldun
Ibn Khaldūn or Ibn Khaldoun was an Arab Tunisian historiographer and historian who is often viewed as one of the forerunners of modern historiography, sociology and economics...
.
Peter was born a Muslim in Djerba
Djerba
Djerba , also transliterated as Jerba or Jarbah, is, at 514 km², the largest island of North Africa, located in the Gulf of Gabes, off the coast of Tunisia.-Description:...
to a Berber family of the Sadwikish tribe. After his conversion he entered the service of the Sicilian crown and rose to the rank of admiral in the navy. During the reconquest of Roger I
Roger I of Sicily
Roger I , called Bosso and the Great Count, was the Norman Count of Sicily from 1071 to 1101. He was the last great leader of the Norman conquest of southern Italy.-Conquest of Calabria and Sicily:...
's "Kingdom of Africa
Kingdom of Africa
The Kingdom of Africa was an ephemeral frontier zone of the Siculo-Norman state in the former Roman province of Africa , corresponding to parts of Algeria, Tunisia and Libya today. The main primary sources for the kingdom are Arabic ; the Latin sources are scanter...
" by the Muslims (1159), Peter led 160 ships in a raiding expedition to the Muslim-held Balearic Islands
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.The four largest islands are: Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain with Palma as the capital...
. He later tried to relieve besieged Mahdia
Mahdia
Mahdia is a provincial centre north of Sfax. It is important for the associated fish-processing industry, as well as weaving. It is the capital of Mahdia Governorate.- History :...
in North Africa with the same fleet, but soon after engaging in battle he turned around and retreated towards Sicily. While Arabic sources credit a gale with dispersing the fleet, the Hugo Falcandus asserts that Peter was "only in name and dress a Christian, and a Saracen at heart". Falcandus' assertion can probably be discredited, at least with respect to this point in Peter's life, for the admiral did not fall out of favour at court. In fact, he was promoted to the office of Great Chamberlain
Chamberlain (office)
A chamberlain is an officer in charge of managing a household. In many countries there are ceremonial posts associated with the household of the sovereign....
.
In 1162, Peter replaced the deceased Count Sylvester of Marsico
Sylvester of Marsico
Sylvester , count of Marsico, was a Norman nobleman of the Kingdom of Sicily.Second son of Godfrey of Ragusa, second eldest son of Roger I of Sicily, he was not a young man when he first rose to importance in the realm. He immediately seized all the property of the Admiral Maio of Bari in Palermo...
in the triumvirate of officials—including Matthew of Ajello
Matthew of Ajello
Matthew of Ajello was a high-ranking member of the Norman court of the Kingdom of Sicily in the 12th century.He first appears as the notary of the Admiral Maio of Bari who drew up the Treaty of Benevento of 1156...
and Richard Palmer—in whom the king had confided the administration of the realm since the assassination of his prime minister, Maio of Bari
Maio of Bari
Maio of Bari , a Lombard merchant's son from Bari, was the third of the great admirals of Sicily. An ammiratus ammiratorum, or "Emir of Emirs," he was the most important man in the kingdom save the king himself. After the deposition and execution of Philip of Mahdia , the admiralcy was vacant for...
, in 1160. On the her husband's death (1166) Queen Margaret of Navarre assumed the regency for her young son William II
William II of Sicily
William II , called the Good, was king of Sicily from 1166 to 1189. William's character is very indistinct. Lacking in military enterprise, secluded and pleasure-loving, he seldom emerged from his palace life at Palermo. Yet his reign is marked by an ambitious foreign policy and a vigorous diplomacy...
. She trusted neither the nobility nor the church and so turned to the palatine officials and the triumvirs, of which she did not trust Matthew of Ajello. She promoted the chief eunuch, Peter, to the highest post in the kingdom, the one formerly held by Maio of Bari, but did not grant him the latter's title "emir of emirs" (ammiratus ammiratorum).
Peter was despised by the nobility and soon the queen's cousin, Gilbert, Count of Gravina
Gilbert, Count of Gravina
Gilbert was a Norman Count of Gravina from 1159.He was a cousin of Margaret of Navarre, the queen of Sicily. He arrived in Sicily sometime around 1159 and, through Margaret's influence, was created Count of Gravina in Apulia immediately....
, was plotting against his life. Unable either to keep control of Sicily or to control Gilbert, Peter initially strengthened his bodyguard and eventually absconded, taking with him a quantity of treasure and severely embarrassing the queen regent. Reassuming his birth name of Ahmed and practising Islam, he crossed to Africa and became a captain of the fleet of the Almohad caliph Yusuf I. According to Ibn Khaldun, who calls him Ahmed es-Sikeli ("Ahmed the Sicilian"), he fought with valour against Christian foes.