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Khafāja succeeded his son Muḥammad, elected by the Sicilian army, and confirmed by the Aghlab. Contrary to the predecessor's energy, Muḥammad was a sedentary ruler, who preferred to remain in his capital rather than lead in person to the countryside. His mandate lasted little since he was assassinated by his eunuchs on May 27, 871
Despite this, his mandate is associated with an important success with a long-term importance, the conquest of Malta. Of all the islands around Sicily, this was the last to remain in Byzantine hands, and in 869 a fleet conducted by Ahmad ibn

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Towards the end of 842 or 843, with Neapolitan support, the Muslims conquered Messina. In 845, Modica's fortress also fell, while the Byzantines, now in peace with the Caliphate, received reinforcements from the eastern thema of Charsian. The two armies clashed near Butera, where the Byzantines suffered a devastating defeat, losing about 10,000 soldiers

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Teodoto's success did not follow, however: at the beginning of the summer of 830, a fleet from al-Andalus (Muslim Spain), conducted by Aṣbagh ibn Wakil, arrived in Sicily. Teodoto did not clash with them, hoping they would retreat from the island after having been sacked, but the besieged garrison in Mineo was able to get in touch with the looters and offered them an alliance

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The pretext for the invasion of Sicily was provided by the revolt of turmarca Euphemio, commander of the island's fleet. He was forced to marry him by a nun. The protests of the sisters brothers came to Emperor Michele II, who ordered the island's strategist, Fotino, to investigate the matter and, in case the allegations were true, proceed to the punishment of Euphemio mutilating the nose. When Euphemio Returning from a naval invasion against the African coast, learned that he was about to be arrested, sailed for Syracuse, who occupied

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The first incursion of Muslims in Sicily

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The first incursion of Muslims in Sicily

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Consequently, the island was originally a Muslim target, and the first incursion took place in 652, only a few years after the foundation of the first Muslim navy. Following the omayyade conquest in North Africa, it became a crucial Byzantine strategic base, and for a period, in 661-668, it became the residence of the imperial court under Constant II

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During the Roman Empire, Sicily was a quiet and prosperous province. It was only in the 5th century who suffered plunder raids by Vandals operating from the coasts of North Africa. In 535, Sicily was regenerated by the Byzantine Empire and then sacked by Ostrogots during the Gothic War, but at the end of the war it became a quiet territory