Osprey:
Saladin and the Saracens

book

By G. Schneider

By David Nicolle, Ph.D. Colour Plates by Angus McBride. (London: 1986). Saladin and the Saracens continues the study of the evolution of medieval Muslim armies begun in The Armies of Islam (#125) and Armies of the Ottoman Turks (#140). Once again, this team has collaborated to present the most up-to-date interpretation and pictorialization of some of history's most diverse and colorful armies. Relatively neglected in western source materials and incorrectly described by contemporary western chroniclers, the armies described in this book defended the Middle East successfully against European and Asiatic invaders alike.

This book follows the familiar organizational format established by its predecessors. The author presents a general historical survey of this era and compliments his narrative nicely with photographs and graphic representations of the warriors, weapons and fortifications described herein. The text divides this period to include contributions to military roe by Saljuqs, Fatimids, Ayyubids, Mainluks and several lesser states in this region. A separate section covers the origin and development of Islamic arms and armour during this time, and a short bibliography rounds out the text leading the reader toward further information about this topic. Angus McBride once again has supplied a series of colorful prints illustrating major troop types per army described in the text. This part of the book alone is worth the price ($7.95) as a guide for wargainers to paint figures in the wide selection of Islamic and territorial Christian armies of this region.

Saladin stands as a unique personality in military history. Europeans and Muslims honored him during his lifetime and in the centuries since for his military prowess and chivalrous personality as well. The author confirms these interpretations and describes the political acumen he displayed in establishing the Ayyubid Dynasty in the wake of the faltering Fatiinid Dynasty of Egypt. McBride's representation of Saladin on the book's cover deserves reproduction as a command figure for many wargaining armies that this book ought to stimulate.

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