Muslim Sources of the Crusader Period: An Anthology

Drawn from greater Syria, northern Mesopotamia, and Egypt, the sources in this anthology—many of which are translated into English for the first time here--provide eyewitness and contemporary historical accounts of what unfolded in the eastern Mediterranean and the Near East between the eleventh and fourteenth centuries.   In providing representative examples of the many disparate types of Muslim sources, this volume opens a window onto life in the Islamic Near East during the Crusader period and the interactions between Franks and Muslims in the broader context of Islamic history. Ideally suited for use in undergraduate courses on the Crusades or the pre-modern Islamic Near East, this anthology will also appeal to any readers seeking a better understanding of  the Islamic response to the Crusades and the general history of the Near East in this period.

About the Author :
James E. Lindsayis Professor of History, Colorado State University Suleiman A. Mourad is Professor of Religion, Smith College.

Review :
"In the last century, many of the main Arabic chronicles of the crusading period have been made available in English translations and are now well-known. This volume, however, gives us a whole wide range of materials, only a few of which are accessible to non-Arabists. The collection includes not just little-known narrative historians, like the lively and original Ibn Wasil, but also letters, sermons, and inscriptions. Each section is followed by a few questions, ideal essay subjects for advanced students and thought provoking for general readers. Among the many strengths of this collection is that it gives due weight to thirteenth-century writings, often neglected but often interesting. Another strength is that the translations are, in all cases, the authors' own work, giving fresh and interesting versions of such well-known classics as the Rihla of Ibn Jubayr. This is a new and exciting collection which will open new horizons for students and teachers alike." —Hugh Kennedy, SOAS, University of London "Historians and instructors alike will enthusiastically greet this book, which presents in a student-friendly manner Islamic sources relating to the crusades that are not otherwise available to persons who lack a working knowledge of Arabic and its rich literary treasury." —Alfred J. Andrea, Emeritus Professor of History, The University of Vermont "This is a superb collection, covering nearly every aspect of the Crusader entanglement with the Islamic Near East as expressed in Arabic sources, in clear, readable English translations. The editors are to be thanked for including texts from multiple genres--not just chronicles, but travel literature, memoirs, biographies, poetry, epistles, treaties, and orations. Nor is this collection limited to literary texts, as it also includes evidence from inscriptions--a revealing source for understanding the public propaganda of the age. The informative appendices, maps, and thoughtful discussion questions will make this anthology a breeze to use in teaching, and I can't wait to get started using it." —Paul M. Cobb, University of Pennsylvania "This is an outstanding collection of translations of Levantine Muslim sources from the crusading period. Lindsay and Mourad have assembled a wide-ranging and informative set of texts, most of which have not been translated into English previously, from a broad range of genres including not only chronicles, but also a range of other works such as geographies, biographies, treaties and inscriptions. In the process they have effectively demonstrated the multifaceted nature of Christian-Muslim encounters in the Levant during this period.      "The collection is enhanced by invaluable supporting materials including (but not limited to) a bibliographic overview of the major Muslim sources for the period, a glossary, and a list of honorific titles and names. These make the book highly accessible for non-experts interested in the content.      "This book will appeal to students and scholars alike, and I highly recommend it for university and college courses on the crusades." —Dr. Niall Christie, Instructor in History and Department Chair, Department of History, Latin and Political Science, Langara College "[An] invaluable primary resource for scholars and general readers alike. . . . This anthology does reinforce the case that sources written by Muslims, and the existing inhabitants of the Middle East in general, are vital to a fuller understanding of the reality of the Crusades which continues to be distorted for political gain by both the Western far-right and Muslim extremists. The questions posed by the editors at the end of each source also highlight important points and challenge the unconscious biases of Western readers and students. . . . Lindsay and Mourad's translations are . . . clear and up-to-date. This then, largely, allows the sources to speak for themselves in terms of their interest and accessibility for the reader and their publication constitutes a valuable addition to the primary material available in English." —Charles Ough, in Oxford Middle East Review "This anthology shows that the crusades, however defined, did not constantly preoccupy the Islamic world. . . . The volume is innovative and immensely informative. It is also accessible, readable, and easy to use. . . . Muslim Sources of the Crusader Period: An Anthology merits recognition for outstanding content put together by James Lindsay and Suleiman Mourad and for its excellent presentation, layout, and formatting. . . . I learned a lot from this volume and can imagine how much it will benefit its readership, students and researchers in particular." —Bogdan Smarandache, in Al-ʿUṣūr al-Wusṭā: The Journal of Middle East Medievalists