b8 CALIPHS OF SPAIN. 



f 



possession. The southern provinces, which now 

 compose the kingdom of Naples, were in the ninth 

 century divided into the rival principahties of Bene- 

 vento, Salerno, and Capua, whose mutual jealousies 

 had invited the Arabs to the ruin of their common 

 niheritance. Their shores were visited almost an- 

 nually by the squadrons which issued from the har- 

 bour of Palermo ; while a colony of Saracens had 

 fixed themselves at Bari, which commands the en- 

 trance to the Adriatic Gulf. The depredations of 

 these adventurers called down the vengeance of the 

 Greeks and Franks, whose combined strength was 

 necessary to root out this nest of pirates. The for- 

 tress was invested by sea and land ; and, after a 

 defence of four years, the Arabs submitted to the 

 clemency of Louis, grandson of Charlemagne, who 

 commanded in person the operations of the siege. 

 But they still continued to infest the country, pil- 

 laging the monasteries and profaning the churches, 

 Tn the work of devastation they were joined by a 

 new enemy from the north. The citizens of Bari 

 had invited the Normans (A. D. 1016) to assist in 

 shaking off the Grecian yoke. These ferocious 

 auxiliaries soon established themselves permanently 

 in the dukedom of Naples, and ultimately assisted 

 8uch of the petty princes as appealed to their sword. 

 In every enterprise of war or danger they promptly 

 volunteered their aid, and Sicily at that time opened 

 tin inviting scene for their services. In their first 

 efforts against that island, the Latin emperors had 

 been unsuccessful ; 20,000 of their best troops were 

 lost in a single expedition, and the victorious Mos- 

 lems ridiculed the policy of a nation which entrusted 

 eunuchs, not only with the custody of their women, 

 but with the command of their armies. 



Internal divisions, however, effected what the 

 Byzantine armaments had attempted in vain. The 

 emirs aspired to independence ; the people rebelled 

 against the emirs, and the cities and castles were 



