Illustrated Treatise on the Maritime Kingdoms, Volume 3

Page 3

In their landscape, appearance, and customs, these four kingdoms are all the same. During the height of their power, their culture and education rivaled those of Greece original: 額力西 (Elixi), referring to Hellas, and their military prowess competed with that of Italy. They even seized the island of Sicily original: 西棲島 (Xiqidao) from Spain original: 大呂宋 (Da Lüsong), literally "Great Luzon," the name used for Spain during this era as they governed via the Philippines. Their commercial ports were as crowded as clouds; they were both strong and wealthy, and their fame was celebrated among all the maritime nations.

How could one have expected that fortunes would be so inconstant? All four kingdoms were eventually destroyed by Italy original: 意大里亞 (Yidaliya), here referring to the Roman Empire's expansion into North Africa. Later, they were seized and plundered by the Arabs original: 阿丹 (Adan) of the Islamic faith original: 回教 (Huijiao), who established a Caliph original: 加里甫 (Jialifu) to govern them.

Troops were stationed in Kairouan original: 加爾灣 (Jia'erwan), an important Islamic cultural and military capital in modern-day Tunisia, and the people were ordered to convert to the religion of Muhammad. Their books were burned to keep the people in ignorance, and they were isolated from other nations, with no travel or contact permitted. For over two hundred years, their civilization was wiped out; they eventually became so barbaric and ignorant that they were barely recognizable.

Later, when the Arabs grew weak, these various nations began to rule themselves once more. However, three of the kingdoms—Algiers original: 阿彌尼 (A'mini), Tunis original: 阿都尼司 (Adunisi), and Tripoli original: 特黎波里 (Teliboli)—were soon conquered by Turkey original: 都魯機 (Duluji), referring to the Ottoman Empire. Governors-general were appointed to manage them. In Algiers, the official was called the Dey original: 尼 (Ni), likely a phonetic shortening of 'Dey'; in Tunis...