Editing Mazara del Vallo (section)

=== Etymology and origins ===

Mazara was founded by the [[Phoenicia]]ns in the 9th century BC{{cn|date=October 2022}} with the name of ''Mazar''<ref>{{Cite web|title=Home : Oxford English Dictionary|url=https://www.oed.com/start;jsessionid=6FBAECC49E612B2C778DC6C9BB38AA69?authRejection=true&url=%2Fview%2FEntry%2F239614%3FredirectedFrom%3Dmazar|access-date=2021-10-08|website=www.oed.com|language=en}}</ref> who made it an important mercantile emporium. The discovery of Phoenician vases demonstrate the existence of a Phoenician port built between the 6th and 5th centuries BC. Other evidence is in the palace of the Knights of Malta, where finds show the existence of the ancient Punic trading post. Also, a stone slab engraved with a Phoenician inscription found in the channel of the river Màzaro is now preserved in the Museum of the Dancing Satyr.

It then passed under the control of [[Greece|Greeks]], [[Carthage|Carthaginians]], [[Roman Empire|Romans]], [[Vandals]], [[Ostrogoths]], [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantines]], before being [[Muslim conquest of Sicily|occupied]] by the [[Arabs]] in the year 827 AD.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Mazara del Vallo {{!}} Italy|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Mazara-del-Vallo|access-date=2021-10-08|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}</ref> During the [[Emirate of Sicily|Arab period]], Sicily was divided into [[Three valli of Sicily|three different administrative regions]], ''[[Val di Noto]]'', ''[[Val Demone]]'' and ''[[Val di Mazara]]'', making the city an important commercial harbour and centre of learning.

In 1072, Mazara was conquered by [[Normans]], headed by [[Roger I of Sicily|Roger I]]. During that period, in 1093, the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Mazara del Vallo]] was instituted.

After the death of Emperor [[Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick II]], Sicily passed to the [[Capetian House of Anjou|Angevins]], then followed by the [[Catalans]] of the [[Aragon Crown]]. The Aragon period (1282–1409) is characterized by a political, economic and demographic decline of Mazara. The city passed under the control of the [[House of Savoy]] in 1713, a reign which lasted only five years, being replaced by the [[Habsburg monarchy|Habsburg Empire]] (for 16 years) followed by the [[House of Bourbon|Bourbons]]. In 1860 the city was finally conquered by [[Giuseppe Garibaldi]] and the [[I Mille|Mille]], thus joining the then newly formed [[unification of Italy|Kingdom of Italy]].

The city was known as ''Mazzara del Vallo'' until the [[World War II]] period, following which the spelling was changed to ''Mazara del Vallo''.