The Impact of Scholars in Norman Sicily
One such notable Muslim scholar living in Norman Sicily was Muhammad al-Idrisi, who was a geographer and served under Norman kings like Roger II and William I. During the reign of William I, Al-Idrisi was instructed to write newer editions of his geography work, where he would combine different maps collected in Palermo that resulted in the creation of 70 maps during his lifetime. On top of mapmaking, Al-Idrisi wrote books on medicinal plants and poetry. While al-Idrisi was just one of many scholars in the region, the long-term impact of scholarship in the urban parts of Sicily helped provide the Normans with an understanding of Arabic art, language, and science over the next two centuries.