The Crusades as Seen by the Arabs

This book is based on a simple idea: to tell the story of the Crusades as seen, experienced, and narrated in detail by the “other camp,” that is, the Arab side. Its content relies almost exclusively on the testimonies of Arab historians and chroniclers of the era. These historians do not speak of Crusades, but rather of Frankish wars or invasions.
The word denoting the Franks was written in different forms depending on the region, author, and time: Franks, Frankish, Frankish, etc. The form chosen, which is still used today in colloquial Arabic to refer to “Westerners,” particularly the “French,” was “Franj.” The author’s goal behind this book is not to present a history book, but rather to present a book that clarifies a viewpoint that has been neglected until now: a “true narrative” of the Crusades and of these two turbulent centuries that shaped the West and the Arab world and continue to define their relationship to this day.