<< 1 >>
Rating:  Summary: The other side of the story! Review: Just as the title says, this book provides a view of the Crusades from the point of view of a Damascene. Consequently, most of the events are related to those where the rulers and/or armies of Damascus were involved. The book covers the early history of the Crusades up until the 1060's AD.The book sheds much light on the dealings between Muslim rulers and does a pretty good job at telling events. However, it is at places superficial and leaves you wondering about the reasons for a change in a ruler's behavior or the motives for a certain action. Nevertheless, it is an invaluable reference to the events of the period it covers as seen by a contemporary. I highly recommend this book, not just for the information it provides, but also for some of the beautiful descriptions that it carries. It is one of the few resources available to scholars to learn about the Crusades from the Arab point of view.
Rating:  Summary: The other side of the story! Review: Just as the title says, this book provides a view of the Crusades from the point of view of a Damascene. Consequently, most of the events are related to those where the rulers and/or armies of Damascus were involved. The book covers the early history of the Crusades up until the 1060's AD. The book sheds much light on the dealings between Muslim rulers and does a pretty good job at telling events. However, it is at places superficial and leaves you wondering about the reasons for a change in a ruler's behavior or the motives for a certain action. Nevertheless, it is an invaluable reference to the events of the period it covers as seen by a contemporary. I highly recommend this book, not just for the information it provides, but also for some of the beautiful descriptions that it carries. It is one of the few resources available to scholars to learn about the Crusades from the Arab point of view.
<< 1 >>
|