Ahmed es-Sikeli

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Peter, born Ahmed, a Moslem from Djerba, a convert to Christianity, was a eunuch and kaid of the Diwan of the Kingdom of Sicily during the reign of William I.

He was originally an admiral in the fleet. During the reconquest of Africa by the Saracens (1159), he led a raiding expedition against the Saracen-held Balearic Islands with 160 ships. He tried to relieve besieged Mahdia with the same fleet, but turned around just after engaging in battle. While Arabic sources credit a gale with dispersing the fleet, the Sicilian chronicler Hugo Falcandus asserts that Peter was "only in name and dress a Christian, and a Saracen at heart." Falcandus can probably be discredited, for Peter did not fall out of favour. In fact, he was promoted to the office of Great Chamberlain.

In 1162, on the death of Sylvester of Marsico, Peter was made a member of the triumvirate of officials—including Matthew of Ajello and the Bishop Palmer—who governed in the king's name after the death of the Emir of Emirs Maio of Bari. The triumvirs were the natural assistants of Margaret of Navarre when she, on the death of William, assumed the regency for the young William II in 1166. Margaret, however, trusted neither the nobility nor the church and so turned to the palatine officials, of which she did not trust Matthew of Ajello. Inevitably, she promoted the chief eunuch, Peter, to that highest post of ammiratus ammiratorum without the title.

Peter, however, was hated by all the nobles in the kingdom and soon the queen's cousin, Gilbert, Count of Gravina, was plotting against his very life. Unable either to keep control of Sicily or to Gilbert, Peter strengthened his bodyguard and eventually simply left, taking with him a quantity of treasure. He reassumed his birth name of Ahmed and began to practise Islam. He went to Africa, where he became a captain of the fleet of the Almohad caliph Yusuf I. According to Ibn Khaldun, who calls him Ahmed es-Sikeli ("Ahmed the Sicilian"), he fought with valour against the Christians. His absconding with state funds and reconverting to his old "apostasy" greatly offended the Norman noblesse and embarrassed Margaret. Falcandus, however, proves correct.