Crusader states XIII century history by Helena Schrader

 Salvete Omnes,

As Syria is back in the news this year - the Syrian defense forces, augmented by former ISIS fighters and pro-Turkey militias, from the official Syrian goverment in Damascus are fighting the Kurds in Kobane and north-east Syria, while the Druze minority  enjoys their Israeli protection in the south.

 
From time to time I check the website of the formidable researcher, historian and storyteller Dr Helena P. Schrader. 

This month dr Schrader already posted two interesting articles on the crusades, dealing with the 

Mongols and Mamluks: The Changing Face of the Middle East. - the XIII century conflict between these two great powers, leading to the Syrian wars between the rulers of Mamluks sultanate and the western Mongolian armies, whereas the Mamluk sultans went on to obliterate  the remainder of the Crusader kingdom and knightly strongholds in the Holy Land - like Latakia,  Crac de Chevaliers and Montfort. Cyprus is part of the Crusader myriad but the mainland is in trouble.

fall of Trpioli Ad 1289

Freer Gallery - a glass beaker Mamluk period

The Loss of Latin Syria - 

detail from a basin with Christian and Islamic symbols, Freer Gallery

the story of internal rot of the Crusader statesmen and Italian trading states (Pisa; Venice was in conflict with Genoa),  that led to development of  multiple conflicting interests and infighting, in face of growing overwhelming powers of the Mamluk state.  If finally leads to the tragic siege of Acre - the infamous execution of the Templar marshal by the Mamluk sultan Al-Ashraf Khalil in 1291. Followed by the evacuation of Tyre, capture of Sidon, loss of Beirut, and final evacuation of Tortosa and Athlit. End of Latin Syria. 

The Mamluk sultanate carried a rather successful eradication of the Crusader material culture and high arts, as almost nothing have survived from the 200 years of Latin rule in Syria, but for some ruins and architectural elements.  

The Latin Crusader kingdom survived in Cyprus, where port of Famagusta  became the Frankish commerce center in the East... Cilician Armenia survived as a vassal of the Mamluk sultanate, and then was annexed by the Ottomans, when they conquered the Mamluks. The various Christians of the Holy Land had to return to their pre-Crusading Age status and situation within the Muslim world. 

enjoy

Valete

Mamluk - a manuscript & Baptistere de Saint Louis

Salvete Omnes,

so  today let perform a swift jump-in-time to  medieval Africa, more than 500 years ago... with a link to a Mamluk manuscript - Islamic Turkish-Kipchak-Circassian rulers of post-Saladin  Egypt and Syria (1250-1517AD). - a handy 'Art of the Mamluk period' essay on the MET platform .- and the famous Baptistere de Saint Louis from Louvre.

Please note the research I have read uses the word  'Mamluk' - with a capital 'M.' While the later Ottoman period warriors of Egypt and Syria who came to fight under Napoleon, after his  invasion of Egypt, are called Mamelukes (of the Imperial Guard)..

I have been a student of Mamluk history and  research (eg via Mamluk Studies Review etc) related to the slave-soldiers concept and execution in the Islamic world, and their state in Egypt and Syria, so I daresay I am somewhat  familiar with the history, especially military history and some of their 'furusiyya' works, of this sultanate and material culture related to their military and horse culture.

 

Below there are some military and war horse related works studied and available in English via net libraries:

About 32 years ago a Mamluk-Kipchak work titled Munyatu' l-Ghuzat was translated into English (the Works of Turkish literature ) -

it is a treatise on horseback riding and mounted training for, naturally, the Mamluk 'askari or warrior-soldier.

about 27 years ago preeminent researcher in the military history  dr David Nicolle wrote a very interesting paper: The Realitiy of Mamluk Warfare: Weapons, Armor and Tactics,( Al-Masaq 1994, pp77-100) -  where dr Nicolle discussed a treatise by a writer from the sultanate - Muhammed ben Isa al Hanafi al Aqsara'i (died 1347AD) - titled The Complete Instructions in the Practices of the Military Art.' Dr Nicolle went on writing many articles and books on the subject of medieval Islamic military, including one on the Mamluk 'Askari (from Osprey Publishing, Warrior series, 2014).

In 2001 Isolde Betty Nettles submitted her dissertation on the Mamluk Cavalry practices - (Univ. of Arizona), where the author discussed aspects of the furusiyya and various knightly equestrian traditions.

 

 and finally the Mamluk  horse manuscript from the British Library. 

all images come from Wiki Commons  - do take a look at their glassware. 

Valete