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• 1 2023-04-20T07:11:01-07:00 The Situation in Sicily 8 plain 2023-05-05T09:39:27-07:00 Prior to the arrival of the Normans, the domain of Sicily had changed hands multiple times over. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Sicily went back into the hands of the Byzantine Empire, whose eastern half consisted of the remnants of the Roman Empire. Eventually, a series of wars and revolts led to the rise of the Arab-ruled Kalbid Dynasty on the island of Sicily. This dynasty helped the island prosper thanks to the utilization of trade between the Muslim, Christian, and Greek worlds. At the same time, the Kalbites focused on the Islamization of the entire island, seeking aid from nearby North African nations for help in migrating interested individuals to seek opportunities on an economically-connected island.
  
  However, the dominance of the Kalbites eventually fractured, dividing the Sicilian domain into several warring taifas (regional rulers). With the Normans hovering just over the Messina strait (the body of water between Italy and Sicily), opportunities of raiding the Sicilian coast began to test the naval and military capabilities of the island while ideas of a Norman invasion were patiently materializing. The opportunities eventually presented itself for an invasion, beginning with the siege and capture of the city of Messina on Sicily's far northeastern coast in 1061 CE. Palermo soon succumbed to the conquering under Roger de Hauteville, Robert's brother, in 1072 CE. The growing Norman presence on the island result in one of the most opportunistic aspects of cross-cultural and multicultural practices of its time period.