The Image of the Franks (the west) in Islamic Culture during the Reign of Ayyubid Sultan Saladin (567 AH /1171 AD -589 AH/1193 AD)
Dr. Isa Mahmoud Alazzam, Dr. Khalid Mahmoud Al-Mizyed

Abstract
During the middle ages the Islamic Bilad Al-Sham especially Egypt and Bilad Al-Sham" Modern say Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine had witnessed an invasion by the west especially Italy ,France ,Germany and England, which was known as the crusade wars or the (the crusades) .The aim was regaining Jerusalem where Jesus peace be upon him lived .the focus of this study is the image of the Franks in war, their nature, morals, and their treatment of prisoners, and their relationship with the Muslims through some Islamic sources contemporaneous of the Crusades. The Franks were painted as invaders, infidels who treated Muslims harshly, beaten and mutilated them and forcing them into hard labor. The Franks had virtues like filial piety, performing worship especially prayers and bearing hardships of travel and carrying weights and weaponry and fighting ,also the courage in fighting, but they have also negative traits like treachery and failure to meet covenants, and deception in the fighting, and the lack of chivalry and jealousy, and the weakness of their civilization . Tolerance and moderation was the dominant feature of the Frankish –Muslim relationship in the areas under the Franks control in Bilad Al-Sham, so they had the freedom of worship in regard to religious rites, and freedom to perform economic activities, Muslims shared with Franks their joyous social occasions and religious feasts, and the Franks had active diplomatic relations with the leaders of the Ayyubid state to reach a kind of understanding and reconciliation.

Full Text: PDF