The volume comprises lightly annotated translation of a key medieval Arabic text that bears directly on the Crusades and Crusader society and the Muslim experience of them.

The Description for this book, An Arab-Syrian Gentleman and Warrior in the Period of the Crusades: Memoirs of Usamah Ibn-Munqidh, will be forthcoming.

Usama Ibn Munqidh (1095-1188) was a Syrian poet and warrior whose life coincided with some of the most dramatic moments in Islamic history: the invasion of the Turks into the Middle East, the collapse of the Shi'ite political power, and above all, the coming of the Crusades. Often at the frontline of such events whilst on military service representing one of his many Lords, including on occasion the legendary Saladin, Usama was nonethless best-known to his contemporaries as a poet. Covering his exquisite anthologies of Arabic poetry, his witty and well- loved memoirs, and his political adventures, this comprehensive biography examines both the literary works of the famous "Arab- Syrian Gentleman" and the tumultuous life which inspired them. With a guide to further reading, a dynastic family tree and a glossary of the principal characters encountered in the book, it offers an indispensable window into Usmama's life, times and world of thought.

An innovative study which explores how the presence of Muslim communities transformed Europe and stimulated Christian society to define itself.

It is twenty-four years since the First Crusaders conquered Jerusalem. Robert of Bures is a young knight whose father rose to power and prosperity in the new Crusader kingdom, and whose uncle died in battle with the Saracens. Nothing matters more to him than defending the Holy Sepulcher, the tomb of Jesus Christ, more sacred than any shrine in Christendom. Robert has been a trusted retainer to Baldwin II, King of Jerusalem, a veteran of the First Crusade who now rules the beleaguered Christian outpost in the Holy Land, but his friendship with the King's daughter, the beautiful and headstrong Princess Melisende, is growing unfittingly close. In Aleppo, the Turkish warlord Balak has raised a vast Saracen army and promises to drive the Christians into the sea. King Baldwin II is short of men and funds, yet his faith in God in unshakable, and he inspires passionate loyalty in his troops. His daughter Melisende feels the weight of the future pressing down upon her, for her father has no son, and she is heir to a Kingdom that her people believe would be better inherited by a warrior prince. Why Does the Heathen Rage? explores a magnificent but rarely examined chapter in Crusades history. The Kingdom of Jerusalem is young, and beset from all sides with enemies. In the face of unending trials, King Baldwin II and his knights fight with zeal, ready to die for the city that Christ made sacred with his blood: Jerusalem.

This outstanding work on the First Crusade was written by an Arab scholar from an old and respected family of Damascus. Well-educated in literature, theology and law, he was twice elected mayor of the city and died when he was over 90 years of age in 1160. His Chronicle, translated by H. A. R. Gibb, is of special interest because it presents a contemporary Arab account of how the Crusaders fared while in Damascus. Derived from oral and written reports, the information is remarkable for its documentation. An informative introduction sets the scene just prior to invasion by the Crusaders. Because this original work still retains much material unused by later compilers, it remains an indispensable resource for students of the early Crusades.

Muslims and Crusaders combines chronological narrative, discussion of important areas of scholarly enquiry and evidence from Islamic primary sources to give a well-rounded survey of Christianity’s wars in the Middle East, 1095–1382. Revised, expanded and updated to take account of the most recent scholarship, this second edition enables readers to achieve a broader and more complete perspective on the crusading period by presenting the crusades from the viewpoints of those against whom they were waged, the Muslim peoples of the Levant. The book introduces the reader to the most significant issues that affected Muslim responses to the European crusaders and their descendants who would go on to live in the Latin Christian states that were created in the region. It considers not only the military encounters between Muslims and crusaders, but also the personal, political, diplomatic, and trade interactions that took place between the Muslims and Franks away from the battlefield. Engaging with a wide range of translated primary source documents, including chronicles, dynastic histories, religious and legal texts, and poetry, Muslims and Crusaders is ideal for students and historians of the crusades.