Saladin and the Saracens

Osprey Men at Arms #171

by David Nicolle, Angus McBride (Illustrator)

Salah al Din Yusif ibn Ayyub, known to his Muslim contemporaries as al Nasi, 'The Victorious', and to an admiring Europe as Saladin, is the most famous single figure in the history of the Crusades, being even better known outside the English-speaking world than his Christian foe Richard the Lionheart. Traditionally portrayed as a quiet, deeply religious and even humble man, Saladin was a typical product of his day and his culture. This title shows how the societies and military systems that he and his successors led from defeat to eventual triumph were far more sophisticated than is generally realised, and brings vividly to life the history, organisation, arms and armour of Saladin and the Saracens.

Genres: History, Medieval, Medieval History, Military History, Nonfiction, Military Fiction, Middle East

48 pages, Paperback

First published March 26, 1986

About the author

David C. Nicolle is a British historian specialising in the military history of the Middle Ages, with a particular interest in the Middle East.

Reviews

[Conor · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

This was an interesting book that shed some valuable light on an often over-looked topic. With recent political developments around the world the Crusades of the Middle Ages have become a popular talking point. However very few people know anything about them and those who do often have a lot of misapprehensions. Until recently I was among them. I always believed that chaotic, unarmoured Islamic horse-archers overwhelmed the brave European knights through sheer numbers. However an elementary knowledge of the history of the period, or even military history in general, will reveal how ridiculous this is. At the time of the crusades Europe was only just emerging from the 'Dark Ages' while the successive Islamic Caliphates had been the most powerful empire in the world for almost 500 years. How could they have been so successful if they had such a crappy military? The obvious answer is they didn't, they were actually pretty badass. Even though the dramatic fragmentation of the great Islamic empire into small, feuding kingdoms greatly undermined their military power they were still formidable, especially under talented rulers such as the man on the cover of this book.

I found the details of this military system to be really intriguing. While lightly armoured nomadic horse-archers were present the core of these armies were the ghulam, elite slave-soldiers recruited (ideally at a young age) from the hard-lands of the steppe and rigorously trained in all of the arts of war; from horsemanship, to lance-work to swordsmanship to horse-archery (think the sixth order in Blood Song). The intense training and prestigious role of these warriors was in sharp contrast to the traditional view of Eastern slave soldiers (see 300 for an example, also note that spartan warriors didn't fight in their underwear or have CGI abs. History). It was also interesting to see how the organisation and political role of the Ghulam was in many ways similar to that of the European knight, a similarity that can also be seen in the Japanese Samurai prior to the 16th century (when they became flower-tending wusses. Sorry Samurai). As interesting as the subject matter was I thought the narrative was somewhat uneven. Nicolle abruptly segued from the military situation in Egypt, to Syria, to the Turkish steppe, to the famous Assasins (who didn't actually have hidden blades. Sorry Ezio) which I found jarring and threw my focus a bit. I also found the space dedicated to some of the more peripheral forces to be frustrating as they were a distraction from the main action.

Overall this was an interesting and informative, and while only a short, quick read, it has left me excited to learn more about the subject.

[Martin Koenigsberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

In western Culture- Saladin is remembered as the cunning and sometimes noble foe of the Crusaders in the late dark ages early medieval period. In "Saladin and the Saracens", David Nicolle turns his attention to another Dark Ages/Medieval topic- and is ably supported by the incomparable late Angus McBride, whose amazing illustrations bring the whole period to life. In this, number 171 in Osprey's Men at arms series, we get to see that the Crusaders were almost the least of Saladin's troubles. Having started his career in Egypt and then moving to take Damascus and Syria- the Crusaders were really sitting on Saladin's MSR- the main supply route from fertile Egypt to his other power base. in the North. Here we get the story in the typical Osprey style- short bits of history - and then a discussion of styles of warfare in the period- with that delicious colour plate center section with 8 pages of great Angus Mcbride renderings of example soldiers. It's a worthy example of the series and I feel like I learned a lot.

The real action was in Anatolia- modern Turkey. Saljuk Turks- Armenians - Atabegs - and a number of other tribes - being pushed out of Asia by the Mongols all had brought mounted archer warfare new energy. Slave mercenaries , mercenaries, and tribal groups made up armies- as well as city levies and militias. These threats to his Syrian/northern Iraq holdings were really more sustainable than the sporadic actions of the Crusaders. I frankly struggled to keep up with the whole range of groups and threats- and their shifting alliances. But that was my fault, more than the material as once I accepted the new spellings of places and peoples- it began to relate to other reading I have done more easily. It is a strong package on a fascinating subject.

There are few adult themes and no graphic violence so this is a good read for a Junior Reader over 11/12 years with an eye for history. For the Gamer/Modeler/Military enthusiast, this book is a wonderful resource. The Gamer gets a taste of about 20 different armies to create- often compiled of different types and styles of warriors - mixed in differing ratios, as well a ideas for numerous campaigns with them. The modeler gets great descriptions of soldiers and costumes- and then those amazing McBride plates (If you don't get fired up to paint after you see Angus's work- you might be dead). The Military enthusiast gets a great entre into this period - an amuse bouche to set the stage of the era- and get the reader interested in more reading. Another strong offering in the series that made Osprey a gaming and modeling watchword.

[Paul A · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Saladin and the Saracens" focuses on the same time period as "Saracen Faris" but with more emphasis on displaying the breadth and diversity of Middle Eastern armies. Ranging from the Seljuqs to the Mamluks, Nicolle showcases how differently these armies were equipped and fought.

[Mick · Rating 5 out of 5]

As is typical for Osprey books, it left me intending to research the subject in more details. The color plates are especially attractive in this one.