An Arab-Syrian gentleman and warrior in the period of the Crusades: memoirs of Usāmah ibn-Munqidh (Kitāb al-Iʻtibār) ; translated from the original manuscript by Philip K. Hitti ; with a new foreword by Richard W. Bulliet

the Life Of Usâmah Ibn-munqidh Epitomizes The Height Of Arab Civilization During The Early Crusading Period. These Memoirs -- Which Represent A Rare First-hand Account Of Medieval European Manners, Morals, Politics, And Medicine Written By A Non-european -- Offers New Perspective And Insight Into An Important Point Of Military And Cultural Contact Between The East And West. In His Introduction, Translator Philip Hitti Writes, Ancient Arabic Literature Has Preserved For Us Other Biographies, Memoirs, And Reminiscences By Great Men, But There Is Hardly Anything Superior To This One In Its Simplicity Of Narrative, Dignity, And Wealth Of Contents And General Human Interest. Frontmatter FOREWORD (page xiii) PREFACE (page xvii) INTRODUCTION (page 3) SECTION I WARS, TRAVELS AND OTHER EXPERIENCES 1. FIGHTING AGAINST THE FRANKS (page 25) 2. USĀMAH'S FIRST SOJOURN IN DAMASCUS, 1138‐1144 A.D. (page 28) 3. US‐MAH IN EGYPT, 1144‐1154 A.D. (page 30) 4. US‐MAH'S SECOND SOJOURN IN DAMASCUS, 1154‐1164 A.D. (page 60) 5. BATTLES AGAINST FRANKS AND MOSLEMS (page 63) 6. ADVENTURES WITH LIONS AND OTHER WILD ANIMALS (page 133) 7. OTHER WAR EXPERIENCES (page 143) 8. AN APPRECIATION OF THE FRANKISH CHARACTER (page 161) 9. SUNDRY EXPERIENCES AND OBSERVATIONS (page 171) SECTION II RARE ANECDOTES 1. STORIES OF HOLY MEN (page 202) 2. NOTEWORTHY CURES (page 213) SECTION III USĀMAH'S HUNTING EXPERIENCES 1. HUNTING IN SYRIA, MESOPOTAMIA AND EGYPT (page 222) 2. USĀMAH'S FATHER AS A HUNTER (page 228) THE END OF THE BOOK (page 255) INDEX (page 259) The life of Usâmah ibn-Munqidh epitomized the height of Arab civilization as it flourished in the period of the early Crusades. His memoirs present an uncommon non-European perspective and understanding of the military and cultural contact between East and West, Muslim and Christian. His writing is remarkable for its narrative clarity, its humanity, and its wealth of perceptive details.