Crusades

Maps of the Eastern Mediterranean in the 11th -13th Centuries

Example from the Geniza

This is a commentary on the Babylonian Talmud in Hebrew (turned on its side), but it was written on a repurposed official Fatimid decree written in Arabic (shown right-side up).

A Letter from the Geniza

This letter was written by a woman who fled Crusader Jerusalem to Tyre. It was found in the Geniza. It seems that her son was killed by the Crusaders and her husband was taken captive by Muslims (identified here only as Bedouin). She indicates that her family had relied on financial support from a Muslim leader who was then in hiding, so she needs another source of support. She asks the recipient of the letter for help.

Muslim Responses to Crusades

A 12th-century Account

The following accounts are excerpts from al-Sulami’s “Book of Struggle”. Al-Sulami was an Arab jurist and philologist.

Build-up to the Battle of Dānīth (1115):

Two 12th-century Coins

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Left: Center: extremely good [quality]; Inner Margin: no god but God, Muhammad is the messenger of God, ‘Ali is the chosen one of God; Outer Margin: “Muhammad is the messenger of God who sent him with guidance and the religion of truth that he might make it supreme over all other religions, even though the polytheists detest it” [Q 9:33].
Right: the Imam ‘Abd al-Majid; Inner Margin: Abu’l-Maymun al-Hafiz li-Din Allah, Commander of the Faithful; Outer Margin: in the name of God the Merciful the Compassionate this dinar was struck in Egypt the year six and thirty and five hundred.

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Left: Center: extremely good [quality]; Inner Margin: no god but God, Muhammad is the messenger of God, ‘Ali is the chosen one of God; Outer Margin: “Muhammad is the messenger of God who sent him with guidance and the religion of truth that he might make it supreme over all other religions, even though the polytheists detest it” [Q. 9:33].
Right: Center: the Imam al-Mansur; Inner Margin: Abu ‘Ali al-Amir bi-ahkam Allah, Commander of the Faithful; Outer Margin: In the name of God the Merciful, the Compassionate, this dinar was struck in Egypt the year fourteen and five hundred.