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Medieval Syria and the onset of the Crusades : the political world of Bilad al-Sham 1050-1128 /

Between 1050 and 1128 the nomadic Seljuq Turks and European Crusaders subjected northern Syria to a series of invasions from the east and west. The migration of militant peoples from the Eurasian Steppe and Western Europe inserted a new set of political elites into a complex frontier zone already be...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Wilson, James (Author)
Format: Book
Language:English
Published: Edinburgh : Edinburgh University Press, [2024]
Series:Edinburgh studies in classical Islamic history and culture.
Subjects:
Syria > History > 750-1260.
Table of Contents:
  • Frontmatter
  • Contents
  • Figures
  • Note on Names, Transliteration and Abbreviations
  • Abbreviations
  • Principal Historical Figures, Dynasties and Terminology
  • Acknowledgements
  • Introduction: Defining and Exploring the Political World of Bilad al-sham
  • Historiographical Overview
  • The Primary Sources
  • The Scope of this Book
  • Notes
  • Part I. Historical Sketch of Bilad al-sham
  • Introduction
  • The System of Autonomous Lordships in Syria
  • Byzantine, Fatimid and Seljuq Syria
  • Notes
  • 1. The Byzantine Empire
  • Byzantine Bilad al-sham
  • The Antiochene-Aleppan Balance of Power
  • The Byzantine Political Footprint in the Face of Seljuq Incursions
  • Byzantine Interactions with Local Rulers in Bilad al-sham
  • Conclusion: The Break-up of Byzantine Bilad al-sham
  • Notes
  • 2. The Fatimid Caliphate
  • Fatimid Bilad al-sham
  • The Fatimid Political Footprint in Northern Syria: 442-63/1050-71
  • The Fatimid Collapse in Southern Syria and Palestine
  • Fatimid Interactions with Local Rulers in Bilad al-sham
  • Conclusion: The Fatimids as 'the Other' in Bilad al-sham?
  • Notes
  • 3. The Great Seljuq Sultanate
  • Seljuq Bilad al-sham
  • The Sultan in Bilad al-sham
  • Syrian Campaigns Instigated by Malik Shah
  • The Seljuq Perpetuation of the System of Autonomous Lordships in Syria
  • Seljuq Bilad al-sham in the Sixth/Twelfth Century
  • The Türkmen in Syria
  • Conclusion: Reassessing Seljuq Bilad al-sham
  • Notes
  • Part II. Countering the Crusades?
  • Introduction
  • 4. The Reactions of Seljuq, Fatimid and Syrian Elites
  • The 'Counter-Crusade' and 'la maqam' Paradigms
  • The Seljuq Counter-Crusade
  • The Fatimid Counter-Crusade
  • Alliance Networks among Syrian Elites in the Early Crusading Era
  • Notes
  • 5. The Notables and Frontiers of Aleppo
  • The Empowerment of Syrian Notables
  • Appeals for Assistance
  • The Frontiers of Bilad halab
  • Revisiting Baldwin II's Siege of Aleppo
  • Conclusion: Aleppan Notables and the Threat of Frankish Rule
  • Notes
  • Conclusion: Situating the Crusades in Syrian History
  • Appendix I: Chronology of Events
  • Appendix II: Regnal Dates in Bilad al-sham
  • Appendix III: Aleppo under Siege
  • Appendix IV: Damascus under Siege
  • Bibliography
  • Index.