Michele Amari
Encyclopedia
Michele Amari was an Italian patriot and historian. Born at Palermo, he devoted a great part of his life to the history of Sicily
, and took part in its emancipation. Amari was also an Orientalist
; he is famous for throwing light on the true character of the Sicilian Vespers
; and served as the Kingdom of Italy
's first minister of public education
.
Amari became an important figure during the Risorgimento. He was a link between Prime Minister Camillo Benso di Cavour and influential Sicilians, helping to convince them to support Italian unification
. Amari did so expecting Cavour to grant Sicily some regional autonomy after unification.
Amari's historical works focus on Medieval Sicilian history, including extensive works on the period of Muslim
control. His efforts have earned him acknowledgment as one of 19th century Europe's premier translators of Medieval Arabic writings. His Storia dei Musulmani di Sicilia (History of the Muslims of Sicily) (1854) is perhaps his greatest work. It has been translated into many languages, including Arabic by a group of Egyptian scholars in 2004.
He died at Florence
in 1889.
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, and took part in its emancipation. Amari was also an Orientalist
Orientalism
Orientalism is a term used for the imitation or depiction of aspects of Eastern cultures in the West by writers, designers and artists, as well as having other meanings...
; he is famous for throwing light on the true character of the Sicilian Vespers
Sicilian Vespers
The Sicilian Vespers is the name given to the successful rebellion on the island of Sicily that broke out on the Easter of 1282 against the rule of the French/Angevin king Charles I, who had ruled the Kingdom of Sicily since 1266. Within six weeks three thousand French men and women were slain by...
; and served as the Kingdom of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
's first minister of public education
Ministry of Public Education (Italy)
The Ministry of Public Education was was the organ of the Italian Republic devoted to the administration of the national education system...
.
Amari became an important figure during the Risorgimento. He was a link between Prime Minister Camillo Benso di Cavour and influential Sicilians, helping to convince them to support Italian unification
Italian unification
Italian unification was the political and social movement that agglomerated different states of the Italian peninsula into the single state of Italy in the 19th century...
. Amari did so expecting Cavour to grant Sicily some regional autonomy after unification.
Amari's historical works focus on Medieval Sicilian history, including extensive works on the period of Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
control. His efforts have earned him acknowledgment as one of 19th century Europe's premier translators of Medieval Arabic writings. His Storia dei Musulmani di Sicilia (History of the Muslims of Sicily) (1854) is perhaps his greatest work. It has been translated into many languages, including Arabic by a group of Egyptian scholars in 2004.
He died at Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
in 1889.