Customer Reviews

The Damascus Chronicle of the Crusades: Extracted and Translated from the Chronicle of Ibn Al-Qalanisi

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This is an invaluable source for anyone researching this time period. Whether studying Damascus, Syria as a whole, the Crusades or the major players in the Crusades, (especially from the Islamic side) Ibn al-Qalanisi is indispensable. Of particular interest to me in my studies were the writings about Zengi, one of the earliest leaders of the Muslim counter-Crusade, who was more preoccupied with capturing Damascus rather than attacking crusader lands. Qalanisi's writings on this character are far from the panegyrics associated with other chroniclers of Zengi (such as Ibn al-Athir).

If you have any interest in the crusades from the Muslim perspective, pick this book up. And just to clarify on the other review listed here, the call for the crusades from Pope Urban II did not occur until 1096, I think he meant that the Qalanisi covers the crusades until the 1160's?

Just as the title says, this book provides a view of the Crusades from the point of view of a Damascene. Consequently, most of the events are related to those where the rulers and/or armies of Damascus were involved. The book covers the early history of the Crusades up until the 1060's AD.

The book sheds much light on the dealings between Muslim rulers and does a pretty good job at telling events. However, it is at places superficial and leaves you wondering about the reasons for a change in a ruler's behavior or the motives for a certain action. Nevertheless, it is an invaluable reference to the events of the period it covers as seen by a contemporary.

I highly recommend this book, not just for the information it provides, but also for some of the beautiful descriptions that it carries. It is one of the few resources available to scholars to learn about the Crusades from the Arab point of view.

Damascus is one of the most fascinating cities from the Crusader era. This book provides some deep insights into that city during the early era of the Crusades. There are some selections from this chronicle in Arab Historians of the Crusades, but this is the only place you'll find a complete English translation. Totally indispensable for a Crusades scholar.