04 CALIPHS OF AFRICA. 



In the year 810 Corsica submitted to the Moham- 

 medan yoke. A powerful Saracen, named Lanza 

 Ancisa, introduced some troops into the island; and, 

 by the united influence of arms and eloquence, the 

 inhabitants were induced to expel the Greeks and 

 embrace the Moslem faith. For 16'6 years Lanza 

 and his successors were sovereigns of the island. 

 At the close of that period the zeal of the Christians 

 in Italy burst into a flame of war ; the last king was 

 driven away, and Corsica again acknowledged the 

 pope for her supreme lord. Sardinia was invaded 

 and subdued about the same time. The natives did 

 not long submit to the yoke ; they expelled their 

 assailants ; and, for a safeguard against future ag- 

 gression, placed themselves under the protection of 

 Louis le Debonnaire, at that period King of France 

 and Emperor of the West. The successors of Char- 

 lemagne were as feeble as the representatives of the 

 Prophet in the East ; and the Sardinians, driven to 

 their own resources, invested their leaders, under 

 the title of Judges, with full military power ; and, 

 for a while, the island was relieved from the inroads 

 of the African and Spanish Moors. At the end of 

 the ninth or beginning of the tenth century, it seems 

 to have again become a Moslem province, and 100 

 years elapsed before its state was changed. Pope 

 John XVIII., touched with its unhappy condition, 

 invited the Catholic princes to relieve it from the 

 cruel devastations of the Arabs. The piety and 

 cupidity of the republics of Genoa and Pisa were 

 awakened at the call; and, notwithstanding the 

 dreadful annoyance of the Greek fire, they succeed- 

 ed in annihilating the power of the Saracens. The 

 liberators contended long and vehemently for the 



