Saracen Strongholds 1100–1500: The Central and Eastern Islamic Lands (Fortress)

By the time of the Crusades, the Islamic world had developed its own sophisticated styles of fortification. Distinctive and highly effective, the region's unique military architecture continued to evolve in response to the Crusader and Mongol threats, and also drew upon the traditions of their foes and neighbors. The resulting Islamic concepts of military architecture had an influence upon fortifications in Western Europe, including Italy and the Iberian Peninsula. Rather than providing security for feudal aristocracies, however, as was increasingly the case in Europe, Islamic fortifications continued to focus upon the defence of cities and frontiers Covering fortifications as far apart as North Africa, Afghanistan and northern India, this volume focuses on the Islamic side of the conflict, highlighting the fortifications in use when the Crusaders sought to reconquer the Holy Land, as well as the eventual absorption of the territories of Byzantium into the Islamic world. COVER......Page 1 CONTENTS......Page 5 INTRODUCTION......Page 6 Egypt and Syria before the Seljuks......Page 11 The Great Seljuks and their rivals......Page 15 Atabegs and the Seljuks' successors......Page 19 Anatolian Seljuks and Ayyubids......Page 23 The Mamluks......Page 27 The Mongols and after......Page 29 Islamic India......Page 30 Egypt and Syria before the Seljuks......Page 32 Seljuks and Atabegs......Page 34 The Ayyubids......Page 39 Mamluks, Mongols and Timurids......Page 41 The Middle East before the Seljuks......Page 43 The Great Seljuks......Page 46 Ayyubids and Mamluks......Page 51 The Mongols and after......Page 55 AFTERMATH......Page 58 BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 63 INDEX......Page 66 COVER......Page 68 Introduction -- Design And Development: Egypt And Syria Before The Seljuks ; The Great Seljuks And Their Rivals ; Atabegs And The Seljuks' Successors ; Anatolian Seljuks And Ayyubids ; The Mamluks ; The Mongols And After ; Islamic India -- The Living Sites: Egypt And Syria Before The Seljuks ; Seljuks And Atabegs ; The Ayyubids ; Mamluks, Mongols And Timurids -- The Sites At War: The Middle East Before The Seljuks ; The Great Seljuks ; Ayyubids And Mamluks ; The Mongols And After -- Aftermath. David Nicolle ; Illustrated By Adam Hook. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 61-63) And Index.