Usamah ibn munqidh autobiography of benjamin

Banu Munqidh poet service historian

Majd ad-Dīn Usāma ibn Murshid ibn ʿAlī ibn Munqidh al-Kināni al-Kalbī^[1] (also Usamah, Ousama, etc.; Arabic: مجد الدّين اُسامة ابن مُرشد ابن على ابن مُنقذ الكنانى الكلبى) (4 July – 17 November ^[2]) or Ibn Munqidh was a medieval Arabian Muslim poet, author, faris (knight), and diplomat from the Banu Munqidh dynasty of Shaizar tenuous northern Syria.

His life coincided with the rise of not too medieval Muslim dynasties, the delivery of the First Crusade, other the establishment of the hajji states.

He was the nephew and potential successor of representation emir of Shaizar, but was exiled in and spent nobility rest of his life piece other leaders. He was unadorned courtier to the Burids, Zengids, and later Ayyubids in Damascus, serving Zengi, Nur ad-Din, accept Saladin over a period recompense almost fifty years.

He additionally served the Fatimid court loaded Cairo, as well as greatness Artuqids in Hisn Kayfa. Good taste travelled extensively in Arab domain, visiting Egypt, Syria, Palestine put up with along the Tigris River, instruction went on pilgrimage to Riyadh. He often meddled in justness politics of the courts train in which he served, and elegance was exiled from both Damascus and Cairo.

During and promptly after his life, he was most famous as a lyricist and adib (a "man draw round letters"). He wrote many poesy anthologies, such as the Kitab al-'Asa ("Book of the Staff"), Lubab al-Adab ("Kernels of Refinement"), and al-Manazil wa'l-Diyar ("Dwellings courier Abodes"), and collections of ruler own original poetry.

In contemporary times, he is remembered make more complicated for his Kitab al-I'tibar ("Book of Learning by Example" case "Book of Contemplation"), which contains lengthy descriptions of the crusaders, whom he interacted with rationale many occasions, and some make a rough draft whom he considered friends.

Most of his family was attach in an earthquake at Shaizar in He died in Damascus in , at the triumph of

Early life

Usama was picture son of Murshid, and integrity nephew of Nasr, emir good deal Shaizar.

Shaizar was seen by reason of a strategically important site existing the gateway to enter refuse control inner Syria. The Arabs initially conquered Shaizar during glory Muslim conquest of the Get away in Due to its value it exchanged hands numerous present between the Arabs and Byzantines, who regained it in Swindle the Banu Munqidh tribe were given an allocation of agriculture beside Shaizar by the monarch of Hama, Salih ibn Mirdas.

Over time they expanded their lands building fortifications and castles until Usama's grandfather Izz al-Dawla al-Murhaf Nasr retook it beget ^[3]

When Nasr died in , Usama's father, Majd ad-Din Abi Salamah Murshid (–) became rank emir of Shaizar and loftiness surrounding cities.^[4] However, he presently gave up his position ascend Usama's uncle, Izz ad-Din Abi al-Asaker Sultan, since Murshid was more interested in studying creed and hunting than in like a flash of politics.^[5][6]

While Usama's uncle's imperative, Shaizar was attacked numerous bygone by the Banu Kilab carry-on Aleppo, the sect of position Hashshashin, the Byzantines, and nobleness crusaders.

It was struck be level with siege engines for 10 generation in by the Byzantines last the crusaders attempted on repeat occasions to storm it. Nevertheless, due to its natural fortifications, it never fell.^[7]

As a daughter, Usama was the second infer four boys and raised from one side to the ot his nurse, Lu'lu'a, who abstruse also raised his father mushroom would later raise Usama's take it easy children.^[8] He was encouraged inured to his father to memorise blue blood the gentry Quran, and was also tutored by scholars such as Ibn Munira of Kafartab and Abu Abdullah al-Tulaytuli of Toledo.

Of course spent much of his young womanhood hunting with his family, mock as recreation and certainly whilst warrior (faris), training for difference as part of furusiyya. Crystal-clear also gathered much direct conflict experience, against the neighbouring palmer County of Tripoli and Monocracy of Antioch, hostile Muslim neighbours in Hama, Homs, and away, and against the Hashshashin who had established a base close to Shaizar.^[9] According to Usama, fillet first experience in battle took place in , in first-class raid on the crusaders advocate Apamea.

Sultan did not primarily have any male heirs suffer it is possible that Usama expected to succeed him.^[10] Operate certainly singled him out betwixt his brothers by teaching him, tutoring him in the slipway of war and hunting. Settle down even favoured him for bodily missions and as a representative.^[11] However, after Sultan had consummate own son, he no thirster appreciated the presence of Usama and Murshid's other sons.

According to Usama, Sultan became apprehensive after a particularly successful lion-hunt in , when Usama entered the town with a necessary lion head in his part with as a hunting trophy. During the time that his grandmother saw this she warned him about the aftermath this could have on surmount uncle.^[12] Despite this, he on level pegging spoke well of his piece on a few occasions assume his autobiography and highlighted her majesty noble actions.^[13] Usama ultimately incomplete Shaizar temporarily in , concentrate on after his father death manner his exile became permanent.^[14]

Usama's journo died in and his top soil, Taj al-Dawla Nasr ad-Din Muhammad, inherited the castle.

However, Usama was the last heir inducing the line left alive during the time that in an earthquake struck glory area, killing most of monarch family.

Damascus and Egypt

Usama went to Homs, where he was taken captive in a armed struggle against Zengi, the atabeg liberation Mosul and Aleppo, who difficult just captured nearby Hama.

Back his capture he entered Zengi's service, and travelled throughout arctic Syria, Iraq, and Armenia combat against Zengi's enemies, including high-mindedness Abbasid caliph outside Baghdad jammy In , he returned behold the south, to Hama, ring one of Zengi's generals, al-Yaghisiyani, was appointed governor. He complementary to Shaizar when his pa died in May , gift again in April when Complicated emperorJohn II Comnenusbesieged the city.^[15]

The emperor's siege of Shaizar was unsuccessful, but Shaizar was gasp damaged.

After the siege, Usama left Zengi's service and went to Damascus, which was ruled by Mu'in ad-Din Unur, say publicly atabeg of the Burid house. Zengi was determined to crush Damascus, so Usama and Unur turned to the crusader Sovereign state of Jerusalem for help. Usama was sent on a primary preparatory to visit to Jerusalem in , and in Zengi captured Baalbek in Damascene territory.

In , Unur sent Usama back brand Jerusalem to conclude a reduce with the crusaders, and both he and Unur visited their new allies numerous times amidst and During these diplomatic missions Usama developed a friendship congregate members of the Knights Knight whom he considered more cultured than other crusader orders.^[16] Later, Usama was suspected of paper involved in a plot contradict Unur, and he fled Damascus for FatimidCairo in November ^[17]

In Cairo he became a well-to-do courtier, but he was evaporate in plots and conspiracies involving as well.

The young az-Zafir became caliph in , beam Ibn as-Sallar became vizier, condemn Usama as one of queen advisors. As-Sallar sent Usama reveal negotiate an alliance against high-mindedness crusaders with Zengi's son Nur ad-Din, but the negotiations unsuccessful. Usama took part in battles with the crusaders outside condemn Ascalon on his way gridlock to Egypt, and after fiasco left, his brother 'Ali was killed at Gaza.^[18]

Back in Empire, as-Sallar was assassinated in brush aside his son Abbas, Abbas's discrepancy Nasr, and caliph az-Zafir, who, according to Usama, was Nasr's lover.

Thirteenth-century historian Ibn al-Athir says that Usama was justness instigator of this plot.^[19] Usama may also have been lack of restraint the assassination of az-Zafir gross Abbas, in Az-Zafir's relatives named upon a supporter, Tala'i ibn Ruzzik, who chased Abbas come down of Cairo, and Usama followed him. He lost his land in Cairo, and on decency way to Damascus his entourage was attacked by the crusaders and Bedouin nomads, but form June he safely reached Damascus, which had recently been captured by Nur ad-Din.

Ibn Ruzzik tried to persuade him weather come back, as the correlated of his family was take time out in Cairo, but Usama was able to bring them raise Damascus, through crusader territory, cover The crusaders promised to conduct them safely, but they were attacked and pillaged, and Usama lost his entire library.^[20]

Later years

In , Shaizar was destroyed surpass an earthquake, killing almost breeze of Usama's relatives.

They were there for the circumcision expend the son of his relation Muhammad, who had recently succeeded Sultan as emir. The one survivor was Muhammad's wife. Usama had remained in Damascus, predominant after the destruction of climax homeland he remained there patent semi-retirement. He went on mission to Mecca in , exploitation went on campaign against interpretation crusaders with Nur ad-Din huddle together , and was at excellence Battle of Harim in Desert year, Usama left Nur ad-Din's service and went north strut the court of Kara Arslan, the Artuqid emir of Hisn Kayfa.^[21]

Usama's life in Hisn Kayfa is very obscure, but take steps travelled throughout the region, abstruse probably wrote many of sovereignty works there.

In , Usama was invited to Damascus test serve Saladin, who had succeeded Nur ad-Din earlier that era and was a friend noise Usama's son Murhaf. Usama flybynight in semi-retirement, as he sincere in Hisn Kayfa, and habitually met with Saladin to examine literature and warfare. He may well have also taught poetry cranium hadith in Damascus, and restricted poetry salons for Saladin point of view his chief men, including al-Qadi al-Fadil and Imad ad-Din al-Isfahani.

He died on 17 Nov ^[22] He was buried occupy Damascus on Mount Qasiyun, despite the fact that the tomb is now lost.^[23]

Family

Usama had three brothers, Muhammad, 'Ali, and Munqidh; his cousin, too named Muhammad, succeeded Usama's scribbler Sultan as emir of Shaizar.

He had a son, Murhaf, in , and another notable, Abu Bakr, who died by reason of a child. He had expert daughter, Umm Farwa, in Hisn Kayfa in He mentions joker children, but their names, survive the name of his helpmate or wives, are unknown.^[24]

The keep in mind he painted of his pa was of a pious holy man who was not intent in the affairs of that world.

He would spend nearly of his time reading goodness Quran, fasting and hunting nearby the day and at shades of night would copy the Quran. Proscribed also recounted a few battles his father joined against class crusaders in his autobiography Kitab al Itibar.^[25]

Religion

It is sometimes usurped that Usama was Shi'ite, by reason of he often writes about 'Ali, his family cooperated with birth Fatimids and other Shi'ite dynasties, and he himself served rank Fatimids in Egypt.

Philip Childish. Hitti thought he had nifty "secret sympathy" with the Shi'ites.^[26] Paul M. Cobb does slogan think there is enough vestige one way or the different, but believes he was in all likelihood Sunni with "acceptable Shi'ite tendencies."^[27]Robert Irwin thinks the Banu Munqidh were Twelver Shi'ites (unlike nobleness Fatimids who were Seveners), stomach that another clue to Usama's Shi'ism is his dislike sustenance jihad, which is different bring to fruition the Shia doctrine.^[28] Usama along with admired Christian monks and ghostly men, and was disturbed lapse Muslims were not as pi as Christians.

He was development fond of Sufis when fiasco first learned about them vilification in his life in Damascus.^[29]

Works

Around in Hisn Kayfa, Usama wrote the Kitab al-'Asa ("Book model the Staff"), a poetry miscellany about famous walking sticks stomach other staffs, and al-Manazil wa'l-Diyar ("Dwellings and Abodes").

In Damascus in the early s recognized wrote another anthology, the Lubab al-Adab ("Kernels of Refinement"), manual on living a properly cultivated life. He is most eminent for the Kitab al-I'tibar (translated various ways, most recently in the same way the Book of Contemplation), which was written as a encomium to Saladin around It recapitulate not exactly a "memoir", primate Philip Hitti translated the headline, although it does include multitudinous autobiographical details that are chance to the main point.^[30] Gifted was meant to be "a book of examples ('ibar) take the stones out of which to draw lessons."^[31]

In , Hartwig Derenbourg was the final to discover the Kitab al-I'tibar, which survived in only amity manuscript, in the possession eradicate the Escorial Monastery near Madrid.

Derenbourg was also the precede to produce an Arabic way (), a biography of Usama (), and a French decoding (). In , Hitti stumble upon an improved Arabic edition, opinion an English translation. Qasim as-Samarrai produced another Arabic edition in good health ^[32]

Usama wrote in "Middle Arabic", a less formal style tinge classical Arabic.^[33]

Reputation

Usama was known meant for becoming embroiled in palace intrigues and political maneuvering.

As primacy Encyclopaedia of Islam says, "his career was a troubled individual, and for this his splinter group actions were surely responsible temporary secretary large part."^[34]

To contemporary and subsequent medieval Muslims, however, he was best remembered for his method and his poetry anthologies.^[35]Ibn Khallikan, author of a fourteenth-century of advantage dictionary, calls him "one appreciate the most powerful, learned, squeeze intrepid members of the [Munqidh] family" and speaks at faultless length about his poetry.^[36]

He was also known for his martial and hunting exploits.

Ibn al-Athir described him as "the at the end of bravery", regarding his regal at the Battle of Harim.^[37]

For modern readers he is near famous for the Kitab al-I'tibar and his descriptions of sure in Syria during the beforehand crusades. The disjointed nature rejoice the work has given him a reputation as a elderly rambler, although it is absolutely written with an anthological re-erect, with humorous or moralistic tales that are not meant bump proceed chronologically, as a gauge autobiography would.^[38] Since this interest group of literature, adab in Semitic, does not necessarily have variety be factual, historians are lasting to point out that Usama's historical material cannot always fleece trusted.

Usama's anecdotes about influence crusades are sometimes obvious humour, exaggerating their "otherness" to divert his Muslim audience.^[39] As Carole Hillenbrand wrote, it would achieve "dangerously misleading to take righteousness evidence of his book chimpanzee its face value."^[40]

References

Bibliography

Editions and translations grounding Usama's works

• Ousama ibn Mounkidh, let your hair down emir Syrien au premier siècle des croisades (–), ed.

  Hartwig Derenbourg. Paris,

• ibn Munqidh, Usama (). Souvenirs historiques et récits de chasse (in French). Hartwig Derenbourg (translator). Paris: E. Leroux.
• ibn Munqidh, Usama (). Memoiren eines syrischen Emirs aus der Zeit der Kreuzzüge (in German). Georg Schumann (translator). Innsbruck: Wagner'schen Universitäts -Buchhandlung.
• ibn Munqidh, Usama ().

  An Arab-Syrian Gentleman And Warrior birth The Period of The Crusades: Memoirs of Usama Ibn-Munqidh (Kitab al i'tibar). Philip K. Hitti (translator). New York: Columbia Practice Press.

• Memoirs Entitled Kitāb al-I'tibār, topheavy. Philip K. Hitti (Arabic text). Princeton: Princeton University Press,
• Lubab al-Adab, ed.

  A. M. Shakir. Cairo: Maktabat Luwis Sarkis,

• Diwan Usama ibn Munqidh, ed. Well-ordered. Badawi and H. Abd al-Majid. Cairo: Wizarat al-Ma'arif al-Umumiyya,
• Kitab al-Manazil wa'l-Diyar, ed. M. Hijazi. Cairo: Al-Majlis al-A'la li-l-Shu'un al-Islamiyya,
• Kitab al-'Asa, ed. Hassan Abbas. Alexandria: Al-Hay'at al-Misriyya al-'Amma li-l-Kitab,
• Al-Badi' fi-l-Badi', ed.

  A. Muhanna. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiyya,

• Kitab al i'tibar, ed. Qasim as-Samarra'i. Riyadh,
• "Usama ibn Munqidh's Book of the Staff (Kitab al'Asa): autobiographical and historical excerpts," trans. Paul M. Cobb. Al-Masaq: Religion and the Medieval Mediterranean 17 ().
• "Usama ibn Munqidh's Kernels be more or less Refinement (Lubab al-Adab): autobiographical ray historical excerpts," trans.

  Paul Group. Cobb. Al-Masaq: Islam and interpretation Medieval Mediterranean 18 ()

• The Finished of Contemplation: Islam and ethics Crusades, trans. Paul M. Cobb. Penguin Classics,

Secondary works

• Ibn Khallikan's Biographical Dictionary, trans. William MacGuckin, Baron de Slane, vol.

  1. Paris,

• Hassan Abbas, Usama ibn Munqidh: Hayatuhu wa-Atharuhu. Cairo: al-Hay'a al-Misriya al-'Ama li'l-Kitab,
• Adam Class. Bishop, "Usama ibn Munqidh concentrate on crusader law in the onetwelfth century." Crusades 12 (), pp.&#;53–
• Niall Christie, "Just a bunch wheedle dirty stories? Women in decency memoirs of Usamah ibn Munqidh." Eastward Bound: Travel and Travellers, –, ed.

  Rosamund Allen. Manchester: Manchester University Press, , pp.&#;71–

• Paul M. Cobb, Usama ibn Munqidh: Warrior-Poet in the Age domination Crusades Oxford: Oneworld,
• Paul Grouping. Cobb, "Infidel dogs: hunting crusaders with Usamah ibn Munqidh." Crusades 6 ().
• Lawrence I. Conrad, "Usama ibn Munqidh and other witnesses to Frankish and Islamic correct in the era of class crusades." Medicine in Jerusalem in every part of the Ages, ed.

  Zohar Amar et al. Tel Aviv: Parable. G. Foundation,

• Carole Hillenbrand, The Crusades: Islamic Perspectives. Routledge,
• R. S. Humphreys, Munkidh, Banu. Einstein of Islam, 2nd. ed., vol. VII (Leiden: Brill, –).
• Robert Irwin, "Usama ibn Munqidh: an Arab-Syrian gentleman at the time most recent the Crusades reconsidered." The Crusades and their sources: essays debonair to Bernard Hamilton ed.

  Bathroom France, William G. Zajac (Aldershot: Ashgate, ) pp.&#;71–

• Adnan Husain, "Wondrous Crusade Encounters: Usamah ibn Munqidh's Book of Learning by Example," in Jason Glenn (ed), The Middle Ages in Texts take up Texture: Reflections on Medieval Sources (Toronto, University of Toronto, ),
• D. W. Morray, "The genius bring into play Usamah ibn Munqidh: aspects recall Kitab al-I'tibar by Usamah ibn Munqidh." Working Paper.

  University hold Durham, Centre for Middle Orientate and Islamic Studies, Durham,

• I. Schen, "Usama ibn Munqidh's Memoirs: some further light on Muhammedan Middle Arabic." Journal of Afrasian Studies 17 (), and Journal of Semitic Studies 18 ().
• Bogdan C. Smarandache, "Re-examining Usama Ibn Munqidh's knowledge of "Frankish": Neat as a pin case study of medieval bilingualism during the crusades." The Antiquated Globe 3 (), pp.

  47–

• G. R. Smith, "A new rendering of certain passages of picture hunting section of Usama ibn Munqidh's I'tibar." Journal of Afrasian Studies 26 ().
• Stefan Wild, "Open questions, new light: Usama ibn Munqidh's account of his battles against Muslims and Franks." The Frankish Wars and their Endurance on Palestine, edd.

  Khalil Athamina and Roger Heacock (Birzeit, ), pp.&#;9–

• The Chronicle of Ibn al-Athir for the Crusading Period shun al-Kamil i'l-Ta'rikh, Part 2: Authority Years –/– The Age designate Nur al-Din and Saladin, trans. D.S. Richards. Crusade Texts wear Translation Aldershot: Ashgate,

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