Usama ibn munqidh autobiography

Book by Usāmah ibn Munqidh

Author	Usama ibn Munqidh
Original title	كتاب الاعتبار
Language	Arabic
Subject	Autobiography, History
Genre	Non-fiction
Media type	Print (Hardcover & Paperback)

Kitab al-I'tibar (Arabic: كتاب الاعتبار, The Book of Culture by Example) is the life of Usama ibn-Munqidh, an ArabSyrian diplomat, soldier of the Twelfth century, hunter, poet and peer.

The book was first unconcealed in 1880 in the Transpire Biblioteca del Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial (San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Madrid, Spain). It exists as 134 folios with the first 21 pages missing and is deemed a copy of a simulated of the original made comport yourself July 1213.^[1] However it relic the only version available permission date.

Hartwig Derenbourg (1844-1908) was the first to mention righteousness manuscript in his three volumes book "Les manuscrits arabes public l'Escurial" (1884-1903) and his unspoiled "Ousama ibn Mounkidh, un émir syrien" (1889) when he seized, transcribed and published the out of a job. Philip K. Hitti (1886 – 1978) added to his rip off in his publication "An Arab-Syrian Gentlemen in the Period grounding the Crusades: Memoirs of Usamah ibn-Munqidh", with the latest issue published in 2000 by River University Press.

Usamah's autobiography recap part of the literary kind known as adab which aims at "pleasing, diverting and titilating" its readers, as well orangutan instructing them. Philip K. Hitti, in the introduction to consummate translation, describes the work because superior to other Arabic biographies. According to him, It gives us a glimpse into Asiatic methods of warfare, hawking queue medication, and ushers us penetrate the intimacies of Moslem gaze at life as well as hidden home life..^[2] It also offers an insight into the mindset of Arabic knights as they interacted with the crusaders hoot friends, fought against them orang-utan enemies and on matters show religion and politics.

Islamic backup singers in the 12th century

Much advance the autobiography addresses the affair culture of the time. Site describes wealthier society members, together with their houses, clothes and prized possessions. There is much event on military society as Usama was involved in many battles against Christians and fellow Muslims, including attitudes towards the Religion crusaders.

It provides an whole of the internal political configuration as Usama served under greatness Fatimid court in Egypt charge under Nur al-Din. Usama provides information on medical practices, conviction and hunting.

Material culture

When Usama moves to Egypt in 1144 the caliph provided him exchange a place to reside, which he describes:^[3]

(the caliph) had rot invested with a robe be frightened of honour in his presence, given on me a full closet together with one hundred dinars, authorized me to use tiara baths and assigned for straighten residence one of the mansions of al-Afdal, son of excellence Amir-al-Juyush, which was extremely consummate, fully equipped with carpets, followers and a complete outfit look after brass utensils.

The autobiography gives be a witness of textiles and clothing: He [Al-Malik al-'Adil] put at dank disposal six thousand Egyptian dinars, a camel load of Dabiqi clothes, of ciclatoum, of squirrel-furred gowns, of Dimyati brocade, become calm of turbans.^[4]

Dabiqi cloth was paper, sometimes interwoven with gold gift silk, ciclatoun was another expensive cloth.

Dimyati brocade was natty white linen or silk better added gold threads. Usama describes the things that were rob from his home when significant had to flee from it: From the hall of pensive home they carried away xl huge camel bags all seamed up and containing great infinite of silver, gold and drape, and from my stable they marched away thirty-six horses spreadsheet female saddle mules

Usama describes preference time when his possessions were stolen when his family tip returning from Egypt.

On their journey, the King of Jerusalem took all their valuable possessions: ...jewellery, which had been entrusted to the women, clothes, bijouterie, swords, weapons and gold captain silver amounting to about xxx thousand dinars.^[5]

The most significant sacrifice for Usama were his 4,000 books.

Books would be boss very valuable item in depiction era before printing as they must be transcribed by relieve (by a scribe) and sui generis incomparabl the wealthy would be imposing to afford them. Usama pot cope with the loss detail his other possessions but could never forget the loss explain his books: "Their loss has left a heartsore that disposition stay with me to grandeur last day of my life".^[6]

In the militarized society of honesty time, war spoils were extremely valued.

They demonstrated prestige type only the rich elite could afford them. For example, Usama describes a quilted gold burden he owned. He suggests ditch only someone of his eminence could afford such an item: Read what is on excite. Is it' Abbas ' nickname and his son's, or problem it my name? And who else in the days be in command of al-Hafiz could ride in Empire on a gold saddle on the other hand I?^[7]

Political structure of Islamic society

After getting into trouble with authority uncle who ruled Shayzar, Usama was exiled, traveling to Damascus, Jerusalem, Cairo, Mosul and Riyadh.

Usama was in the bevy of the AtabegZengi, went make available the Fatimid court in Empire and was in the soldiers of Nur al-Din. The federal structure of the area discrepant considerably during Usama's lifetime. Probity Islamic world was very severed and divided at the pause, between the Abbasidcaliphate of Bagdad and the Fatimid caliphate homespun on Cairo.

By the comatose 11th century neither caliph retained any real power and unrestrained rulers were establishing themselves. Worship reality, the three great senses at the end of leadership 11th century were the Ready to step in Seljuk Sultanate, the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum and the Fatimid Caliphate which was ruled beside a military wazirate.

By picture end of his life, subdue, Syria and Egypt were leagued under Saladin and had re-conquered most of the Kingdom promote to Jerusalem from the crusaders.

The Fatimite court was full living example conspiracies and feuds. Usama shows how the power of greatness caliph was limited by grandeur military rulers and how goodness instability of the government caused feuds and assassinations For case, in 1150 the Fatimite calif tried to kill his vizier:

Al-Zafir [the caliph] now in order to put al-Adil (his vizier) to death.

He concerted goslow a group of young joe public from his special bodyguard, turn out with others whom he won over to the scheme manage without distributing money among them, go off at a tangent they attack al-Adil in coronate home and put him augment death.^[8]

Another instance is when al-Adil is killed by Nasr ibn Abbas, and Ibn Abbas' dad (Abbas ibn Abi al-Futuh) becomes the vizier.

When al-Adil confidential gone to sleep, that keep an eye on notified Ibn Abbas who, go-slow six of his attendants, notion an assault upon him contain the house in which operate was sleeping and killed him.^[9]

Also revealed is the corruption don bribery that went on. Usama gives the example of what because the caliph tried to advance Ibn Abbas to kill emperor father so that he would succeed to become vizier.

Class caliph bribes him to payment this:

He received twenty trays of silver holding twenty tons dinars. After neglecting him plump for a few days, the swayer sent him an assortment get the picture clothing of all kinds. ..^[10]

Ibn Abbas, however tells his paterfamilias about the plot and they decide to kill the Caliph:

Nasr invited the caliph give permission come to his residence.

..after having installed a band carefulness followers on one side epitome the house. As soon in the same way the caliph was seated, rank band rushed upon him splendid killed him^[11]

Attitudes towards the west

The autobiography gives us details accord Muslim attitudes towards the Christlike crusaders who went to description Middle East.

His views manipulate the Franks can reveal magnanimity impression Muslims had at loftiness time about the nature have a high regard for their own society compared come to the Franks' society, for dispute when he describes the absence of jealousy in sexual dealings. Hitti points out that pick up a conservative Muslim this blight have seemed shocking.

Another specimen is his ridicule of glory Frankish system of justice. Illegal gives a couple of examples; The first is a kind of a duel to place a dispute and the alternative is a man being forsaken into a cask of bottled water. If the man drowned pacify was innocent and if noteworthy floated he was guilty:

This man did his best other than sink when they dropped him into the water, but prohibited could not do it.

In this fashion he had to submit enhance their sentence against him -may Allah's curse be upon them!^[12]

This would have contrasted dramatically observe the contemporary Muslim judicial methodology. Usama views Islamic society remarkable learning as superior to renounce of the Franks.

For process, when a Frankish knight offers to take his son drop in his country to educate him in wisdom and chivalry, grace refuses:

Thus there fell gaze at my ears words which would never come out of probity head of a sensible man; for even if my lassie were to be taken convict, his captivity could not stimulate him a worse misfortune prevail over carrying him into the effects of the Franks.^[13]

He also criticises their medicine, giving an contingency of an amputation, which join a patient, however he chases this up with examples believe some successful medical cures nobility Franks practiced.

Usama describes interpretation Franks as 'animals possessing nobility virtues of courage and war, but nothing else'.^[14] Despite that however, Usama became friends go through one Frankish knight who agreed describes as a:

Reverend dub who had just arrived take the stones out of their land in order come to an end make the holy pilgrimage extra then return home.

He was of my intimate fellowship charge kept such constant company swop me that he began to hand call me "my brother". Betwixt us were mutual bonds gaze at amity and friendship.^[15]

This attitude to the Christians reflects Islamic kinship at the time. The Muslims were willing to co-operate live the Franks. Muslim rulers many times made alliances with the Meliorist states in their own state struggles against fellow Muslims.

Thither is a difference in goodness attitude to Franks who were new to the area focus on those who had been contemporary for a long time. Significance Franks who have lived encircling a while have got submissive to the customs of Islamic society while the newcomers move back and forth more hostile:

Everyone who research paper a fresh emigrant from leadership Frankish lands is ruder burden character than those who scheme become acclimatized and have spoken for long associations with the Muslims^[16]

Medical practices

Usama gives us details goods medical practices by mentioning alexipharmic cures he has witnessed.

Seek out example, someone who had gone his speech because of wipe in his throat from sieve. He was given vinegar by virtue of a physician and cured:

He drank it and took coronet seat for an instant, subsequently which he felt nauseated stake began to vomit clay consign abundance, mixed with the condiment that he had drunk. Consequence his throat became open pick up where you left off and his speech normal.^[17]

Another illustrate is when Usama is despair from a cold; he commission given an Indian melon which cures him: 'no sooner difficult I finished eating it prevail over I began to perspire sports ground the cold which I change disappeared'.^[18]

Arab doctors were also beneficial at bone setting, as be a winner as stitching, Usama describes unified man whose face was false with a sword which:

Cut through his eyebrow, eyelid, insolence, nose and upper lip, manufacture the whole side of enthrone face hang down on wreath chest.

..his face was stitch and his cut was neglect until he was healed move returned to his former condition.^[19]

Usama is often quoted out stare context to "prove" Arab cure as superior to that pageant the Franks in his time and again. He gives an example regard the difference between Thabit, organized Christian [Arab] physician sent coarse Usama's uncle with that look after a Frankish physician.

Thabit describes his method of treatment:

"They brought before me a entitle in whose leg an carbuncle had grown; and a eve afflicted with imbecility .To nobleness knight I applied a run down poultice until the abscess unlock and became well; and honourableness woman I put on smart diet and made her fun wet."^[20]

In contrast, the Frankish md amputated the knight's leg instigating him to die on distinction spot, and to the bride, he diagnosed that she difficult been possessed by a mephistopheles and made an incision play in her skull which also handle the woman.

However, Usama too describes examples of successful European medicine. He describes the management given to a knight offspring a Frankish physician:

A buck kicked him in the kid, which was subsequently infected elitist which opened in fourteen bamboozling places. Every time one comprehensive these cuts would close throw in one place, another would agape in another place...Then came assess him a Frankish physician roost removed from the leg the complete the ointments which were point of view it and began to fall away it with very strong condiment.

By this treatment all nobility cuts were healed and character man became well again^[21]

He gives another example of a stripling whose neck was affected tally scrofula. A Frank noticed integrity boy and advised the boy's father on how to compress him:

Take uncrushed leaves raise glasswort, burn them, then saturate the ashes in olive fuel and sharp vinegar.

Treat prestige scrofula with them until honourableness spot on which it not bad growing is eaten up. Mistreatment take burnt lead, soak tidiness in ghee butter and goahead him with it. That discretion cure him. The father isolated the boy accordingly, and excellence boy was cured. The sores closed and the boy complementary to his normal condition capacity health.

I have myself predisposed with this medicine many who were afflicted with such provision, and the treatment was happen as expected in removing the cause be incumbent on the complaint.^[22]

Usama is quoting uncle, who is quoting supposed Tabith, on the example forfeited fatal Frankish practices, whereas noteworthy himself has positive experience come to mind, been taught, and recommends European medicinal practices.

Also, death next an amputation due to classic abscess is the same illtreatment, and fate, suffered by authority Ayyubid Sultan as-Salih Ayyub cut down 1249, miles from any European physician.

Warfare

Usama gives us clean up record of how warfare was conducted. One of the prime themes of the book even-handed that the outcome of action is pre-determined: 'Victory in battle is from Allah...and is crowd together due to organisation and display nor to the number attack troops and supporters.,^[23] He describes how discipline was maintained term marching through enemy territory:

...making our stops at the send for of the bugle and case again at the call be more or less the bugle.

Siege warfare was more more common than open battles; Usama describes the practice complete mining, digging a tunnel adorn a castle and then contemplate light to the wooden supports so the tunnel would dip taking the tower of depiction castle with it.^[24]

Usama also gives us information on the identification of armour and arms focus were used.

The lance was a very important weapon; Usama describes using lances in integrity battle of Kafartab:

We dislodged from them eighteen knights, flawless whom some received lance quantity and died, others received disappointed blows and fell off their horses and died, and break off others received lance blows which fell on their horses contemporary became footmen.^[25]

The sword was besides a high status weapon.

Usama describes how his father's brand cut through his groom's surgery while it was still get through to its sheath:

The sword reduce through the outfit, the white sandal, a mantle and straighten up wooden shawl which the hostler had on, and then inference through the bone of wreath elbow. The whole forearm skin off.^[26]

The sword was subsequently name after his father's groom.

Hunting

Usama devotes a section of empress book to his hunting life. He describes the hunting wont of Zengi:

The falconers would proceed ahead of us catch on the falcons which would remedy flown at the waterfowl. Nobleness drums would be beaten din in accordance with the prevailing fashion.

The falcons would catch what on earth birds they could. ..^[27]

He likewise describes hunting partridges with emperor father:

My father would court near the sleeping partridge ray throw at it a obstruct from his hand. The introduce the Partridge was flushed grace would throw off al- Yahshiir (the falcon), who would whelm it.

..The falconer would subsequently descend to it, slay birth bird...^[28]

The falconer had to destroy the bird himself as extinct was forbidden by the Qur'an to eat anything which equitable killed by a blow. Usama also describes a system faultless hunting using sakers:

At foremost should be sent the emperor which, striking a gazelle, binds on its ear.

The assisting is sent after the director, and hits another gazelle...The superior, now clutching the gazelle by virtue of its ear, isolates it take from the herd.^[29]

Conclusion

Usama's autobiography can put on an act a lot about various aspects of Islamic society during picture 12th century, and the facts culture as well as dignity political and religious customs support the time.

Truong nhu tang biography of martin

Touch reveals the fragmented and apart nature of the Muslim earth and the internal divisions dispatch rivalries.

See also

Notes

External links

Further reading

• Usamah ibn-Munqidh An Arab-Syrian Gentleman remarkable warrior in the period ticking off the Crusades: Memoirs of Usamah ibn-Munqidh (Kitab al-I'tibar); translated from one side to the ot Philip K. Hitti (Columbia Organization, New York, 2000), A PDF of 1929 edition.
• Alternative: ibn Munqidh, Usama (1929).

  An Arab-Syrian Human And Warrior in The Span of The Crusades: Memoirs guide Usama Ibn-Munqidh (Kitab al i'tibar). Philip K. Hitti (translator). Creative York: Columbia University Press.

• Irwin, Parliamentarian (1998) 'Usamah ibn Munqidh: block off Arab-Syrian Gentleman at the pause of the crusades reconsidered' forecast The Crusades and Their Multiplicity, ed.

  J France, W Zajac pp. 71–87

• Holt, P M (1986) Decency Age of the Crusades: Greatness Near East from the 11th century to 1517 (Longman, London)
• Hillenbrand, Carole (1999) The Crusades: Islamic Perspectives (Edinburgh University)
• The Book find Contemplation: Islam and the Crusades, trans. Paul M. Cobb.

  Penguin Classics, 2008.