But Pisa was not yet done with the Arab.  She stood for Europe.  In 1063 she fought at Palermo, returning laden with booty.  It was then, after much discussion in the Senate,[19] sending an embassy to the Pope and another to “Re Henrico di Germania,” that she decided to employ this spoil in building the Duomo, in the place where the old Church of S. Reparata stood, and more anciently the Baths of Hadrian, the Emperor.  The temple, Tronci tells us,[20] was dedicated to the Magnificent Queen of the Universe, Mary, ever Virgin, most worthy Mother of God, Advocate of sinners.  It was begun in 1064, and many years, as Tronci says, were consumed in the building of it.[21] The pillars—­and there are many—­were brought by the Pisans from Africa, from Egypt, from Jerusalem, from Sardinia, and other far lands.

At this time Pisa was divided into four parts, called Quartieri.  The first was called Ponte, the ensign of which was a rosy Gonfalon; the second, di Mezzo, which had a standard with seven yellow stripes on a red field; the third, Foriporta, which had a white gate in a rosy field; and the fourth, Chinsica with a white cross in a red field.[22]

Nor was the Duomo the only building that the Pisans undertook about this time.  Eight years later, the Church of S. Pietro in Vincoli, called to-day S. Pierino, was built on a spot where of old “there was a temple of the Gentiles” dedicated to Apollo; that, when the Pisans received the faith of Jesus Christ, they gave to St. Peter, the Prince of the Apostles.  This church appears to have been consecrated by the great Archbishop Peter on 30th August 1119.

These two churches, and especially the Duomo, still perhaps the most wonderful church in Italy, prove the greatness of the civilisation of Pisa at this time.  She was then a self-governed city, owing allegiance, it is true, to the Marquisate of Tuscany, but with consuls of her own.  Since she was so warlike, the nobles naturally had a large part in her affairs.  In the Crusade of 1099 the Pisans were late, as the Genoese never ceased to remind them,—­to come late, in Genoa, being spoken of as “Come l’ajuto di Pisa”; and, indeed, like the Genoese, the Pisans thought as much of their own commercial advantage in these Holy Wars as of the Tomb of Jesus.  In 1100 they returned from Jerusalem, their merchants having gained, una loggia, una contrada, un fondaco e una chiesa for their nation in Constantinople, with many other fiscal benefits.  Nor were they forgetful of their Duomo, for they came home with much spoil, bringing the bodies of the Saints Nicodemus the Prince of the Pharisees, Gamaliel the master of St. Paul, and Abibone, one of the seventy-two disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ.[23]