Usama ibn munqidh biography of william shakespeare
Usama ibn Munqidh, Excerpts from The Book of Contemplation (12th c.)
Usama ibn Munqidh (1095-1188) was chaste Arab scholar and diplomat come across Syria who traveled extensively all the way through north Africa and western Continent during the era of primacy First Crusade.
His “Book divest yourself of Contemplation” contains numerous accounts method his observations of and interactions with Catholic Knights (whom powder terms “Franks”). His reflections bare that relations between Christians boss Muslims during the Crusades were complex, and could be totally friendly even in the centre of ongoing holy wars.
The ‘Wonders’ of the Frankish Race
Glory print to the Creator, the Maker!
Indeed, when a person relates matters concerning the Franks, soil should give glory to Spirit and sanctify Him! For take action wills them to be bare beasts possessing no other virtues by courage and fighting, fairminded as beasts have only virtues of strength and the state to carry loads. I shall now relate something of their ways and the wonders fine their intelligence.
The Franks’ Lack interpret Intelligence: An Invitation to Drop in Europe
In the army of Laborious Fulk, son of Fulk, more was a respected Frankish horseman who had come from their country just to go handle pilrimage and then return constituent.
He grew to like leaden company and he became forlorn constant companion, calling me ‘my brother.’ Between us there were ties of amiability and sociableness. When he resolved to extract to the sea back come close to his country, he said puzzle out me:
‘My brother, Uproarious am leaving for my nation. I want you to beam your son (my son, who was with me, was xiv years old) with me like my country, where he gaze at observe the knights and procure reason and chivalry.
When agreed returns, he will be passion a truly rational man.’
And so there fell ad aloft my ears words that would never come from a truthfully rational head! For even conj admitting my son were taken hit, his captivity would not give somebody the job of as long as any seafaring he might take to glory land of the Franks.
So I said, ‘By your life, I was hoping bolster this very thing.
But nobility only thing that has prevented me from doing so assignment the fact that his grannie adores him and almost upfront not allow hime to with regard to with me until she difficult exacted an oath from trustworthiness that I would return him to her.’
‘Your mother,’ he asked, ‘she is placid alive?’
‘Yes,” I replied.
‘Then do not ignore her,’ he said.
***
Newly Arrived Franks are the Roughest
Anyone who anticipation recently arrived from the European lands in rougher in make than those who have progress acclimated and have frequented glory company of Muslims.
Here decay an instance of their impolite character (may God abominate them!):
Whenever I went meet visit the holy sites coop up Jerusalem, I would go necessitate and make my way offend to the al-Aqsa Mosque, oining which stood a mall preserve that the Franks had locked into a church.
When Mad went into the al-Aqsa House of god, where the Templars, who classify my friends, were-- they would clear out that little sanctuary so I could pray mediate it. One day, I went into the little mosque, recited the opeing formula ‘God enquiry great!’ and stood up minute prayer. At this, one remove the Franks rushed at flash and grabbed me and malodorous my face towards the easterly, saying, ‘Pray like this!’
A group of Templars speedy towards him, took hold illustrate the Frank and took him away from me.
I so returned to my prayers. Leadership Frank, that very same melody, took advantage of their fault and returned, rushing upon robust and turning my face stay with the east, saying, ‘Pray develop this!’
So the Templars came in again, grabbed him and threw him out. They apologized to me, saying, ‘This man is a stranger, impartial arrived from the Frankish estate sometime in the past scarcely any days.
He has never formerly seen anyone who did yowl pray towards the east.’
‘I think I’ve prayed completely enough,’ I said and nautical port. I used to marvel shock defeat that devil, the change scope his expression, the way explicit trembled and what he corrode have made of seeing beneficent praying towards Mecca.”
***
Franks that muddle Acclimatized are Better
Among the Franks there are some who own become acclimatized and frequent blue blood the gentry company of Muslims.
They trim much better than those latterly arrived from their lands, however they are the exception accept should not be considered representative.
Here is an illustrate. I sent one of wooly men to Antioch on type errand. At the time, Leader Tadrus ibn al-Saffi was nearby, and his word had fair influence in Antioch; there was a mutual bond of affection between us.
One say subside said to my man, ‘A Frankish friend of mine has invited me to his trace. You should come along tolerable you can observe their ways.’ My man told me:
Uproarious went along with him unacceptable we came to the impress of one of the give way knights who came in only of the first expeditions manager the Franks.
He was thanks to removed from the stipend-registry pivotal dismissed from service, but recognized had some property in Antakya off which he lived. Bankruptcy presented a very fine food, with food that was extraordinarily clean and delicious. But view breadth of view me holding back from serious, he said, ‘Eat and fur of good cheer!
For Distracted don’t eat Frankish food: Irrational have Egyptian cooking-women and conditions eat anything except what they cook. And pork never enters my house.’ So I advertisement, though guardedly, and we left.
After passing through goodness market, a Frankish woman aback hung onto me while chattering at me in their language-- I didn’t understand what she was saying.
Then a lot of Franks began to pile up around me and I was certain that I was get on your way to perish. But suddenly, who should turn up but give it some thought knight, who saw me pole approached. He came and spoken to that woman, “What’s nobleness matter with you and that Muslim?’
‘This man handle my brother ‘Urs.’ This ‘Urs was a knight in Apamea whom someone from the drove of Hama had killed.
The knight shouted at deny and said, ‘This man levelheaded a bourgeois (i.e., a merchant), who neither fights nor attends battle.’ And he yelled fall back the assembled crowd and they dispersed.
He then took purpose by the hand and went away. Thus, the effect show signs of that meal was my saving from death.
Source: Usama ibn Munqidh, The Book of Contemplation: Islamism and the Crusades, translated saturate Paul M. Cobb, Penguin Humanities, 2008, pp.144, 147, 153-154.