Editing Michael II (section)

===Campaigns against the Arabs===
In 824, Michael sent a fleet to raid the [[Syria (region)|Syrian]] coast and sack [[Sozopetra]]. Caliph al-Ma'mun mounted a combined land and naval raid in 825, but it did not cause much long-term damage and Michael did not retaliate, leaving the eastern frontier in a hostile stalemate.{{sfn|Treadgold|1997|pp=435–436}}{{sfn|Brubaker|Haldon|2011|pp=388–389}}

Michael inherited a seriously weakened military and was unable to prevent the [[Emirate of Crete#Conquest of Crete|conquest of Crete]] in 826 by 10,000 [[Arabs|Arab]] pirates from [[al-Andalus]] (who had 40 ships), or to recover the island with an expedition. The pirates had been exiled by the [[Umayyad]] [[emir]] of al-Andalus and captured [[Alexandria]] in 825 but were driven out. Crete was only recovered in 961, and until then remained a base for raiding parties into the [[Aegean Sea|Aegean]] and eastern [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]]. In 828, the Cibyrrhaeot navy and army achieved some successes, but was destroyed in a surprise attack and the ''stratēgos'' of the theme was killed. However in 829, the imperial fleet succeeded in driving the pirates out of the [[Cyclades]].{{sfn|Norwich|1991}}{{sfn|Treadgold|1997|p=436}}{{sfn|Brubaker|Haldon|2011|pp=388–389}}
[[File:The Cretan Saracens defeat the Byzantines under Damianos.jpg|thumb|[[Al-Andalus|Andalusian]] pirates land on the island of [[Crete]] and swiftly conquer it.]]

[[Sicily]] lacked both a dominant political and culture centre, like [[Ravenna]], [[Rome]] or [[Naples]], and an autonomous local military elite, so its population were either divided or reacted passively during the crises of the 820s. Discontent began with the revolt of [[Thomas the Slav]], and developed with Michael's attempt to raise taxation in 826. An anti-imperial faction arose, led by the ''tourmarchēs'' of Sicily, [[Euphemius (Sicily)|Euphemios]], who had led successful raids in [[North Africa]]. In 827, the ''stratēgos'' Constantine tried to arrest him, although his motive was unclear. It was likely in response to Euphemios' disloyalty, but later legends report that he wanted to punish Euphemios for abducting his niece from a [[nunnery]] and forcing her into marriage. In any event, word of Constantine's intention reached Euphemios when he was raiding on the North African shore, and caused him to initiate a rebellion, seizing [[Syracuse, Sicily|Syracuse]], proclaiming himself emperor and then killing the ''stratēgos'' Constantine after defeating him at [[Catania]]. Some of Euphemios' supporters deserted him for the imperial government, and he was defeated by another garrison commander, which forced him to flee to the [[Aghlabid]] [[emir]], [[Ziyadat Allah I of Ifriqiya]], who recognised his title and gave him a fleet. In June 827, a predominantly Arab force landed on the west of the island at [[Mazara]], beginning an invasion. The Byzantines fared poorly at first, retaining control only of a few strongholds and Syracuse. With the death of Euphemios and the arrival of a new ''stratēgos'' in 829 came a series of successes which secured imperial authority by the end of Michael's reign.{{sfn|Brubaker|Haldon|2011|p=389}}{{sfn|Brown|2008|p=462}}