Medieval History
A new article is examining the relationship between Islamic states and the Crusader army during the First Crusade (1096-99) and suggests that the Fatimid kingdom of Egypt did attempt to ally with the Crusaders. The article, "Fatimids, Crusaders and the Fall of Islamic Jerusalem: Foes or Allies?" was written by Maher Y. Abu-Munshar in the latest issue of Al-Masaq: Islam and the Medieval Mediterranean.
Abu-Munshar explains that both the Fatimids and the Crusaders wanted to "foster collaboration and form an alliance" with each other for their own reasons: the Fatimids believed that the main threat to their country was the Seljuk Turks, while the Crusaders wished to avoid a united Muslim front against them as they marched through the Middle East. The main evidence for this alliance lies in a delegation the Fatimids sent to the Crusaders while they were camped outside Antioch. Albert of Aachen, for example, describes how the Fatimid ruler, "sent fifteen envoys who were skilled in different languages to the army of the living God, about a mutual alliance for peace and his kingdom."
These envoys stayed in the Crusader camp for several weeks, and made a proposal to fight against the Seljuks. The Crusaders would be rewarded with northern Syria, while the Fatimids would regain Palestine including Jerusalem. The Crusaders did not seem to respond directly to this proposal, but instead sent their own envoys to Egypt to continue the discussions.
The situation then changed after the Fatimids took advantage of the Seljuks' problems to attack and regain Jerusalem. According to the 12th century writer William of Tyre, the Fatimids, "seemed to imply that they were conferring a great favour on the Christians by allowing unarmed pilgrims to go to Jerusalem in groups of two or three hundred and returned safely after completing their prayers. The leaders of the Christian forces regarded this message as an insult. They forced the envoy to return with the answer that the army would not consent to go thither in small detachments, according to the condition proposed. On the contrary, it would march on Jerusalem as one united host and threaten the Kingdom of their master."
The Crusaders did carry out their threat by laying siege to Jerusalem, and on capturing it killed thousands of it inhabitants.
Abu-Munshar also questions the assumption that the Fatimids were ignorant of the Crusader's ultimate goals. He writes, "How could the Fatimids misunderstand the crusaders? aim when we know that the latter started their journey from Europe and took months, even years, to arrive in the east, with the clear aim of regaining Islamic Jerusalem from the Muslims? It is possible that most Muslims, Saljuqs and Fatimids alike, were at least partially aware of the crusaders? intentions."
The article, "Fatimids, Crusaders and the Fall of Islamic Jerusalem: Foes or Allies?" appears in Volume 22, Issue 1 of Al-Masaq. Click here to access an online version.
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Medieval History
Did the Crusaders have a Muslim ally in the First Crusade?
Abu-Munshar explains that both the Fatimids and the Crusaders wanted to "foster collaboration and form an alliance" with each other for their own reasons: the Fatimids believed that the main threat to their country was the Seljuk Turks, while the Crusaders wished to avoid a united Muslim front against them as they marched through the Middle East. The main evidence for this alliance lies in a delegation the Fatimids sent to the Crusaders while they were camped outside Antioch. Albert of Aachen, for example, describes how the Fatimid ruler, "sent fifteen envoys who were skilled in different languages to the army of the living God, about a mutual alliance for peace and his kingdom."
These envoys stayed in the Crusader camp for several weeks, and made a proposal to fight against the Seljuks. The Crusaders would be rewarded with northern Syria, while the Fatimids would regain Palestine including Jerusalem. The Crusaders did not seem to respond directly to this proposal, but instead sent their own envoys to Egypt to continue the discussions.
The situation then changed after the Fatimids took advantage of the Seljuks' problems to attack and regain Jerusalem. According to the 12th century writer William of Tyre, the Fatimids, "seemed to imply that they were conferring a great favour on the Christians by allowing unarmed pilgrims to go to Jerusalem in groups of two or three hundred and returned safely after completing their prayers. The leaders of the Christian forces regarded this message as an insult. They forced the envoy to return with the answer that the army would not consent to go thither in small detachments, according to the condition proposed. On the contrary, it would march on Jerusalem as one united host and threaten the Kingdom of their master."
The Crusaders did carry out their threat by laying siege to Jerusalem, and on capturing it killed thousands of it inhabitants.
Abu-Munshar also questions the assumption that the Fatimids were ignorant of the Crusader's ultimate goals. He writes, "How could the Fatimids misunderstand the crusaders? aim when we know that the latter started their journey from Europe and took months, even years, to arrive in the east, with the clear aim of regaining Islamic Jerusalem from the Muslims? It is possible that most Muslims, Saljuqs and Fatimids alike, were at least partially aware of the crusaders? intentions."
The article, "Fatimids, Crusaders and the Fall of Islamic Jerusalem: Foes or Allies?" appears in Volume 22, Issue 1 of Al-Masaq. Click here to access an online version.
- Environmental Crusaders: How Medieval Knights Remade Poland?s Ecosystems
In 1280, victorious Teutonic Crusaders began building the world?s largest castle on a hill overlooking the River Nogat in what is now northern Poland. Malbork Castle became the hub of a powerful Teutonic state that crushed its pagan enemies and helped...
- Remains Of Crusader / Templar Army Discovered In Israel
Archaeologists and historians working in northern Israel have discovered the remains of a Templar and Crusader army who were slaughtered by Saladin in one of the major battles of the Crusades. The results of the excavations are now being broadcast on...
- Crusaders Massacre Of Jerusalem Was Done In Cold-blood, Not Religious Frenzy, Historian Argues
A leading historian of the Crusades believes that 1099 massacre of Jerusalem?s inhabitants by the army of the First Crusade was not the result of religious fervour, but rather, ?the cold-blooded implementation of??ethnic cleansing?.? In his recent article,...
- 10th Century Arabic Inscription Found In Jerusalem
A 10th century Arabic inscription was discovered in excavations in a private house in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem, according to a statement released Wednesday by the Israel Antiques Authority. The house is located north of the Crusader period Church...
- Overlooked Account Of The First Crusade Provides New Insights Into The Venetian Role
A recent article examines the role of Venice in the First Crusade, offering some interesting new details on the siege of Haifa in 1100 and the motivations of these Crusaders. The article, "The First Crusade and the Latin east as seen from Venice: the...