The Chronicle of Ibn al-Athir [Part
3],
for the Crusading Period from al-Kamil fi'l-Tarikh,
The Years 589-629 / 1193-1231 :
The Ayyubids after Saladin & the Mongol Menace.
*[A5+] Paperback - 344 pages,
by Izz al-Din ibn al-Athir [d.630h]
Translated by D.S. Richards,
Part of the 'Crusade Texts in Translation' by Routledge.
Description :
The Chronicle of Ibn al-Athir (1160-1233 Common Era), entitled 'al-Kamil fi'l-Ta'rikh',
is one of the outstanding sources for the history of the medieval
world. It covers the whole sweep of Islamic history almost up to the
death of its author and, with the sources available to him, he attempted
to embrace the widest geographical spread; events in Iraq, Iran and
further East run in counterpoint with those involving North Africa and
Spain. From the time of the arrival of the Crusaders in the Levant, their
activities and the Muslim response become the focus of the work.
Part 3 : A significant portion of this third part deals with the internal rivalries of the Ayyubid successors of Saladin, their changing relations with the Crusader states and in particular the events of the Damietta Crusade. As always, these events are portrayed against the wider background, with considerable emphasis on events in the eastern Islamic world, the fortunes of the Khwarazm Shahs and the first incursions of the Mongols.
Review :
"Richards' translation of the Arabic text is clear and engaging, permitting easy access to the wealth of material provided by Ibn al- Athir. In its present form, this volume will be welcomed by scholars who work on the crusading period, or are interested in the complex political relationships across the broader Near East during the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries.
The text will also be invaluable for military historians who will find a treasure trove of material concerning warfare. Of particular importance in this context is Ibn al-Athir's emphasis on the capture and defense of fortifications, and particularly fortified cities, as crucial to territorial conquest. … The text also can be a valuable addition to undergraduate and graduate courses on the crusades, medieval surveys, and even western and world civilization surveys."---The Medieval Review.
"The al-Kamil fi'l-Ta'rikh is a remarkable achievement and the present translation into English is long overdue and most welcome. … D S Richards' highly readable translation opens up a period of history which had a global impact." ---Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies.
About the 'Crusade Texts in Translation' Series :
The
crusading movement, which originated in the 11th century and lasted
beyond the 16th, bequeathed to its future historians a legacy of sources
which are unrivalled in their range and variety. These sources document
in fascinating detail the motivations and viewpoints, military efforts
and spiritual lives, of the participants in the crusades. They also
narrate the internal histories of the states and societies which
crusaders established or supported in the many regions where they
fought.
Some of these sources have been translated in the
past but the vast majority have been available only in their original
language. The goal of this series is to provide a wide ranging corpus of
texts, most of them translated for the first time, which will
illuminate the history of the crusades and the crusader-states from
every angle, including that of their principal adversaries, the Muslim
powers of the Middle East.
*Dimensions : 23.4 x 15.4cm.
