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In order to earn the favor of the Arabs and to seal himself the alliance, Mussolini, although a signatory of the [[Lateran Treaty]] with the [[Holy See]], decided to be bestowed the title of ''Protector of Islam''.<ref>{{harvnb|Ham|2007|p=24}}</ref> According to the interpretation of Mussolini, with the Italian government taking over the place of the [[Ottoman Libya|Ottomans in Libya]], such a title was up to him concerning law since, in some manner, he was heir of the authority of the caliph.<ref>{{harvnb|Lanna|Rossi|2003|p=242}}</ref> On March 20, 1937, in the outskirts of [[Tripoli]], Mussolini recieved the Sword of Islam from Iusuf Kerisc, a leading Berber supporter of the Italian occupation against the Libyan resistance, during a lavish ceremony. After entering Tripoli among salutes of cannons and at the head of a rank of 2,600 cavalrymen, Mussolini reaffirmed his closeness to the Muslim population, guaranteeing "peace, justice, wellness and respect for the laws of the Prophet.<ref name=pdf>{{cite web|url=http://www.mediastudies.it/IMG/pdf/La_Spada_dell_Islam.pdf|title=La Spada dell'Islam|access-date=November 16, 2015}}</ref>
In spite of the approval from the media of the regime, the ceremony provoked hilarity among the Italian people because of its absurd and paradoxical connotations.<ref>{{harvnb|Cifarelli|2004|p=183}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Antonini|1999|p=112}}</ref> One of the photographs of the event, depicting Mussolini on the saddle of horse held by the halter by a [[Groom (profession)|groom]], in his official version was retouched and published deleting the groom, in order to make it appear that Mussolini was able to ride his own mount without anyone's help.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mediastudies.it/IMG/pdf/Propaganda_e_falsificazioni_fotografiche.pdf|title=Propaganda politica e falsificazioni fotografiche tra le due guerre mondiali|access-date=November 16, 2015}}</ref>
== Notes ==
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