A Saracen stronghold throughout the long history of the Crusades, Damascus served as the capital city for Nur al-Deen, Saladin, and other medieval Muslim leaders. From this prime vantage point comes a remarkable contemporary account of the early Crusades, written by one of the city's leading citizens. Ibn Al-Qalānisī, a distinguished scholar of literature, theology, and law, was twice elected mayor of Damascus. His Chronicle begins in 1097, in the early years of the First Crusade, and concludes in 1159, the year before his death at the age of 90. An informative...
A Saracen stronghold throughout the long history of the Crusades, Damascus served as the capital city for Nur al-Deen, Saladin, and other medieval Mus...