Editing William II of Sicily (section)

===Wars with Egypt and Byzantine Empire===
{{main|Siege of Alexandria (1174)}}
Unable to revive the [[Kingdom of Africa|African dominion]], William directed his attack on [[Ayyubid Egypt]], from which [[Saladin]] threatened the Latin [[kingdom of Jerusalem]]. In July 1174, 30,000 men were landed before [[Alexandria]], but [[Saladin]]'s arrival forced the Sicilians to re-embark in disorder.{{sfn|Queller|Madden|1997|p=222}} A better prospect opened in the confusion in [[Byzantine]] affairs which followed the death of [[Manuel Comnenus]] (1180), and William took up the old design and feud against the Byzantine Empire.<ref name="EB1911"/> [[Dyrrhachium]] was captured (11 June 1185). Afterwards while the army (allegedly 80,000 men including 5,000 knights) marched upon [[Thessalonica]], the fleet (200 ships) sailed towards the same target capturing on their way the [[Ionian islands]] of [[Corfu]], [[Cephalonia]], [[Ithaca (island)|Ithaca]] and [[Zakynthos]]. In August 1185, [[Thessalonica]] [[Sack of Thessalonica (1185)|fell to the joint attack]] of the Sicilian fleet and army and was subsequently sacked.{{sfn|Hermans|1980|p=79}}

The troops then marched upon the capital, but the army of the emperor [[Isaac Angelus]], under the general [[Alexios Branas]], [[Battle of Demetritzes|defeated the invaders]] on the banks of the [[Struma River|Strymon]] (7 November 1185). Thessalonica was at once abandoned and in 1189 William made peace with Isaac, abandoning all the conquests. He was now planning to induce the crusading armies of the West to pass through his territories, and seemed about to play a leading part in the [[Third Crusade]]. His admiral [[Margaritus of Brindisi|Margarito]], a naval genius equal to [[George of Antioch]], with 60 vessels kept the eastern [[Mediterranean]] open for the [[Franks]], and forced the strong Saladin to retire from before [[Tripoli, Lebanon|Tripoli]] in the spring of 1188.<ref name="EB1911"/>

[[File:Mourning for William II of Sicily, Liber ad Honorem Augusti by Pietro da Eboli, Burgerbibliothek, Bern, cod. 120, c. 98r.jpg|thumb|upright|Palermo in mourning for the death of William II, from the ''Liber ad honorem Augusti'' by [[Peter of Eboli]].]]