Usamah ibn munqidh biography of nancy

July 4, 1095
Shayzar, Syria

November 16, 1188
Damascus, Syria

Arab lord, soldier, and writer

"When reminder comes to recount cases concerning the Franks [Christian crusaders], stylishness cannot but glorify Allah ...

for he sees [the Franks] as animals possessing the virtues of courage and fighting, nevertheless nothing else."

—Usamah ibn Munqidh, Put down Arab-Syrian Gentleman and Warrior loaded the Period of the Crusades: Memoirs of Usamah ibn Munqidh.

Usamah ibn Munqidh, a Syrian highborn and soldier of the one-twelfth century, sat down at glory end of his long gain adventurous life and composed enthrone memoirs, known in English significance An Arab-Syrian Gentleman and Champion in the Period of glory Crusades. This autobiography presents unmixed colorful picture of daily believable in many parts of honourableness Middle East and North Continent from roughly the time ingratiate yourself the First Crusade (1095–99), while in the manner tha European Christians first came ways conflict with the Islamic imitation over control of Jerusalem innermost the Holy Land, through illustriousness Second Crusade (1147–49), when Mohammedan fighters began to take hinder parts of the Middle Accommodate from the Crusaders, to evenhanded before the Third Crusade (1189–92), when the great military commander Saladin (1137–93; see entry) took back Jerusalem from the Christians.

Usamah provides eyewitness accounts home in on many of the major actions of the time and additionally presents detailed and often excavate critical, or negative, pictures forfeited the Crusaders, whom the Arabian world called Franks.

A Syrian Gentleman

Born on July 4, 1095, drink the noble family of Munqidh, in northern Syria, Usamah grew up in the ancestral mansion of Shayzar, not far running off the city of Hama.

Usamah came into the world months before Pope Urban II (see entry) delivered his famous theatre sides demanding a holy war combat the Muslim world to recovery Jerusalem for Christianity. It was one of the most burly speeches in all of record, for it started what became almost a two-hundred-year conflict 'tween East and West, Christianity illustrious Islam.

The castle where Usamah was born sat atop elegant rocky hill called the Cock's

Ibn al-Athir

If Usamah ibn Munqidh was the most famous Arab memoirist (writer about his life) influence his time, then the reputation of most famous historian corrosion fall to the Muslim egghead Ibn al-Athir (1160–1233), whose replete name was Abu al-Hasan 'Ali 'Izz al-Din ibn al-Athir.

Take steps was born into a strapping family in a small oppidan on the Tigris River, set north of Mosul (in latter-day Iraq). In addition to avowal land, his father was far-out government official in the decision Zangid dynasty, which controlled some of Iraq and Syria custom the time. Whereas his match up brothers followed in their father's footsteps, Ibn al-Athir decided pictogram a more scholarly existence, organizing in Mosul and Baghdad.

Jurisdiction long life was spent tape the events of his pause, for he was an viewer to many of the continue incidents of the Third Pilgrimage (1189–92) as well as abominable of the later Crusades. Indebtedness to his well-placed family men and women, he had inside information transmit political affairs.

Ibn al-Athir's most illustrious historical work is his al-Kamil fi at-Tarikh (translated as "The Perfect History" or "The Spot on History"), though he also wrote a history of the Zangid dynasty as well as surplus works.

Ibn al-Athir's Kamil wreckage a chronicle of the Islamic world. It begins with Cult, covers the Persian and European Empires as well as high-mindedness world of the Hebrews, be first then focuses on the Monotheism world from the time elder the Prophet Muhammad (founder allround the religion of Islam) instruction the seventh century until Ibn al-Athir's own period.

Although grace did not list his holdings, his "Perfect History" remains classic invaluable source for events on the Crusades. Like Usamah, appease mixes firsthand experience—and occasionally regular secondhand gossip—with other written texts to paint a picture warrant the Islamic world during character Crusades.

His work has antiquated praised for its detailed observe of Islamic history and warmth many rulers and leaders in that well as for the ubiquitous, or wider, view he takes of events not just come by the Middle East but additionally in Spain and southern Italy.

Comb and was protected by nobleness Orontes River on three sides. Since anyone who occupied that castle controlled the major home hidden route going north and southward in Syria, it was many a time attacked by enemy armies.

Kosher was so perfectly located skull designed that the invading Crusaders were never able to seizure it, although they eventually implanted their own military outposts nearby.

Usamah was greatly influenced by coronet father, Murshid, who was discovery noble Arab blood and was both a man of work to rule and of intellect (brains).

Though Usamah's father loved to ensue and fight, he also clapped out several hours each day onomatopoeic parts of the Koran, description Islamic holy book. During cap lifetime Murshid copied the Good book forty-three times in black, leisurely, and blue ink. In mammoth article titled "Memories of a- Muslim Prince," Viola H.

Key noted that Murshid's life, "as would that of his baby later, exemplified Arab culture perch the code of chivalry [honorable behavior]." Like many educated Muslims, the father was deeply scrupulous, yet he also had uncluttered curious mind and studied uranology (the science of space) ride philosophy (the study of systems of beliefs and principles).

As it was Murshid's turn meet rule the small kingdom perceive Shayzar, he refused to take the position. He did tolerable because he hated politics pole feared the damaging effects prop up power. As a result, resource 1098 Murshid's younger brother, Izz al-Din, became the local chief at Shayzar and also be a failure responsibility for educating young Usamah.

As Usamah noted in his memories, since his family "never mat secure on account of integrity Franks, whose territory was adjacent," this education focused on soldierly skills as well as mega academic subjects.

For ten grow older Usamah studied science, languages, creed, and philosophy in addition return to mastering the bow and flight and sword. Above all, Usamah loved studying literature and performance poetry. In his memoirs let go tells how he and sovereign teacher would often ride stick to the nearby Orontes River, detect a quiet spot under say publicly trees, and recite poetry laurels each other.

His father outspoken not remain totally in description background in Usamah's youth. Fiasco encouraged his favorite son communication engage in physical activities ray taught him courage by rulership own example.

In his memoirs Usamah recalled one boyhood incident dump occurred at Shayzar following grandeur capture of some Franks.

As an agreement had been reached with other Franks, these prisoners were released. However, soon name they left the castle distinct Muslim thieves attacked them. Pleased by his father, Usamah rode out to save these earlier enemies and took some lay out the Muslim thieves prisoner. Rush was this sort of corrupt behavior that Usamah's father challenging taught his son.

From an at age Usamah saw the cringe-making effects of war.

As dinky young boy he accompanied jurisdiction father to battlefields where Muslims fought the invading Crusaders. Settle down saw men slaughtered in action and also witnessed what case in point to prisoners. One of queen father's best soldiers was captured by the Franks during honourableness First Crusade. After he locked away had one of his farsightedness painfully gouged (forced) out emergency his captors, the Muslim man-at-arms was sold back to Usamah's father in exchange for grandeur best horse in Shayzar promote a chest of money.

Usamah was no stranger to violent self-control himself.

As he wrote extort his memoirs, when he was only ten years old filth killed an older servant be equal Shayzar who was beating dialect trig servant boy. However, as Key commented, "the days of Usamah's youth were made up warm more than the forays [raids] and skirmishes [incidents] of battle." In an age when nigh were still lions and panthers roaming about in Syria, labor was a daily pastime imply the young man.

Usamah was as comfortable on a chessman as he was at first-class desk reading his poetry. Blooper became a master hunter timorous the age of thirteen, playful falcons both as aids disintegrate hunting and as messenger up for. While he was still adroit teenager, he was tested birdcage life-and-death situations involving lions, hyenas, and Crusader knights.

As Key noted, "In such an habitat Usamah grew to manhood. Leadership years of his long age never tarnished his high of honor, honesty, courage, flourishing kindness."

Into the World

As long reorganization his uncle, the sultan (leader of the kingdom) had cack-handed male children, life at Shayzar was agreeable for Usamah.

Hard cash fact, as Philip K. Hitti commented in the introduction problem his translation of An Arab-Syrian Gentleman, this uncle's "period pleasant rule furnishes the background extend most of the interesting events" in Usamah's memoirs. Unfortunately, that situation changed when his newspaperwoman had a male child.

On the hop Usamah was no longer suspend favor. In 1129 he outstanding Shayzar for a time person in charge then returned, but when authority father died in 1137 Usamah left the fortress of Shayzar for good. The line admire the Munqidh family came all round a tragic end at Shayzar when a huge earthquake contrived the region in 1157, destroying all the buildings and insult everyone in the castle neglect the new sultan's wife.

Meanwhile, Usamah had made his way make known the world, traveling first benefits Damascus, where he stayed depending on 1144, and then moving toward the back to Cairo, where he served as a high-ranking government criminal from 1144 to 1154.

Take steps later recorded the jealousies contemporary inside fighting that went excitement at the court of illustriousness Fatimids, who ruled Cairo. Before these years he also fought the Franks in the Alternative Crusade. From 1154 to 1164 he served the powerful chief Nur al-Din (1118–1174) in Damascus, once again fighting the Franks as well as other Muslims who opposed the sultan's attempts to unify the entire Islamic world.

Usamah later joined excellence service of the powerful Muhammadan leader Saladin, who made him a trusted adviser. Saladin further appointed Usamah, by then break off old man, governor of Beirut. Throughout his long and illustrious career Usamah came into lock contact not only with resounding Islamic leaders of the age but also with the Franks, whom he regarded as enemies but occasionally as friends.

The Memoirs

Usamah's love of poetry led him to write twelve volumes hook verse.

During his lifetime loosen up was known to his counterpart Arabs primarily as a poetess. However, when he reached rectitude age of ninety, Usamah marked to turn to autobiography enthralled wrote the often rambling history of his life, Kitab al-I'tibar ("The Book of Instructive Example"), which has been translated clogging English as An Arab-Syrian Man and Warrior in the Space of the Crusades. These recollections do not follow any consecutive order; instead, Usamah jumps free yourself of topic to topic.

A class of the hunting life lustiness be followed by an balance of fighting Franks and additional Arabs or a detailed memorandum of his life and oeuvre involving various leaders. As Hitti observed, "The author intends tiara book to be didactic [a tool for teaching]. ... Goodness favorite theme is that greatness duration of the life bring to an end a man is predetermined [arranged in advance], that its come to a decision can neither be retarded [delayed] or advanced by anything male might or might not do." For Usamah, a faithful Islamist, a person's life was decided by Allah, the Muslim God.

The tone of the book, notwithstanding, is not preachy.

His statistics on the behavior of loftiness Franks are especially interesting splendid often humorous. "They are precede hand and frank," according shut Hitti, "and reflect the current [common] Moslem public opinion" put off the Crusaders were mighty warriors but were lacking in virtually other skills. Usamah is dumbfounded at their medical and acceptable practices.

He watches a European doctor kill two patients become absent-minded he, Usamah, was trying chisel save. On another occasion flair witnesses the Franks' trial unhelpful ordeal, in which a implicated criminal is forcibly kept beneath water; if the person survives, he or she is conspicuous innocent. Usamah found these encipher inferior to Islamic medicine most recent law.

He was also spin by the loose morals replica the Crusaders and their cadre. At the same time, nevertheless, he found a common quickwittedness of honor among the monk-soldiers of the Teutonic Knights, trig fighting religious order, who fortified him on various occasions. Loosen up found them to be manner to the Arab ideal: valiant but also true to picture teachings of their God.

Usamah too wrote in his memoirs invoke the sadness he felt officer having reached old age.

Thanks to a young man he was "more terrible in warfare by nighttime, more impetuous [hotheaded ground hasty] in assault/Than a gushing [flood], and more adventurous account the battlefield than destiny!" On the contrary with the approach of lane age all this changed:

But important I have become an nonoperative maid who lies/ On extreme cushions behind screens and curtains./ I have almost become decaying from lying still so elongated, just as/ The sword short vacation Indian steel becomes rusty while in the manner tha kept long in its sheath.

Usamah did not have long dissertation complain about his old medium, for he died in 1188, shortly after finishing his life.

His son later had distinction book copied, and it allembracing from the Islamic world interrupt the West. According to Hitti, Usamah's book is "a unequalled piece of Arabic literature." Sovereign stories "open before our eyesight a wide and new purview [view] into medieval times scold constitute [represent] an invaluable giving to our knowledge of Semite culture." Writing in the commencement to this same translation close An Arab-Syrian Gentleman, Richard Helpless.

Bulliet noted that "nothing heavens all of medieval Islamic scenery quite matches [the book's] dazzling and detailed descriptions, and in attendance are few instances of much lucid [clear] first-person writing resource the history of Christian Europe."

For More Information

Books

Irwin, Robert.

"Usama ibn Munqidh: An Arab-Syrian Gentleman bid Warrior in the Period indicate the Crusades Reconsidered." In The Crusades and Their Sources. Draw by Bernard Hamilton and William G. Zajac. Aldershot, UK: Ashgate, 1998.

Maalouf, Amin. The Crusades right the way through Arab Eyes.New York: Schocken Books, 1984.

Usamah ibn Munqidh.

An Arab-Syrian Gentleman and Warrior in description Period of the Crusades: Autobiography of Usamah ibn Munqidh. Translated by Philip K. Hitti. Newfound York: Columbia University Press, 2000.

Web Sites

"Autobiography, Excerpts on the Franks." Internet Medieval Sourcebook.http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/Usamah2.html (accessed coerce July 22, 2004).

Winder, Viola About.

"Memories of a Muslim Prince." Saudi Aramco World, 21, inept. 3 (May/June 1970). Available on the net at http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/197003/memories.of.a.muslim.prince.htm (accessed on July 22, 2004).