Presence and Status of the Iranians in the History and Civilization of Sicily in the Islamic Period

The conquest of Sicily in the early third century (AH) was a valuable achievement for the Islamic world. A group of Iranians from that time in the form of "Khorasani Corps" under the command of Asad ibn al-Furat Neyshabouri, along with other Muslims entered Sicily and took an active part in the political, social and cultural developments of the region. The present study examines the how of the Iranians presence in Sicily and explains their place and status in the history and civilization of Sicily in the Islamic period. According to the available sources, it seems that Iranians were involved in some of the political events of Sicily in the Islamic period and in the field of Islamic civilization had spread all kinds of Islamic-Iranian sciences, industries, architecture and fine arts in Sicily. These achievements of civilization were transferred to Italy and then to Europe during the Norman period.