Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Gibb, M.A. H.A.R. translator. Al-Qalansi, Ibn The Damascus Chronicle of the Crusades. London: Luzac & Company Ltd., 1932.

This is a fascinating book that tells a lot of contemporary history in the Holy Land during the Crusades, but from anIslamic point of view!

For example, this entry, from pages 253-254:

A.H. 533
(8th September, 1138, to 27th August, 1139)

"On the morning of Friday 23rd Shawwal (23rd June), there was made known the plot directed against the amir Shihab al-Din Mahmud, son of Taj al-Muluk, son of Zahir al-Din Atabek, and his assassination while he was asleep in his bed during the preceding night, by the hands of his accursed slaves, Albaghash (?) the Armenian [plus two others]. These three accursed malefactors used to sleep round about his bed.

"When the assassination became known, search was made for Albaghash, but he had fled and his house was plundered. The other two were seized and crucified on the wall over the Jabiya gate."

The deceased amir's brother is then summoned:

"He came in haste to Damascus; he was formally invested with authority , and the oath of allegiance and loyalty was taken by the amirs, commanders, and notables. Matters were thus settled and calm restored."

Nope! Not even close. Now here's why:

The deceased's mother appealed to another amir, in Mosul [Iraq?] and demanded vengeance, and before long Ba 'albek, on the road to Damascus, was severely besieged, "bombarded in turn night and day," by fourteen catapults. (255) Ba 'albek finally surrendered after assurances from the vengeance- minded Man from Mosul "confirmed by his oath, of their personal safety. "

"But when the fortress was in his hands, he ordered them all to be crucified and none of them escaped except those whose destiny guarded them. The people were horrified at his action and at such an unheard-of-breach of oath on his part." (256)

Hummm...you know? It does sort of look like the Crusaders were far from being the worse enemy the Islamic population had to face in those far off days: even had there been no Crusaders around at all, these guys did a pretty good job of mass murder and mayhem on their own account, just as the warring factions in Iraq do today, no matter what some college professors still continue to insist, that the Islamic people were always very civilized, warm, tolerant and loving fuzzies.

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