Saracen

Biodata

Terminology and Identity

“Saracen” is used by the Franks as a collective label comparable to their use of “Frank.” It can encompass Zoroastrian peoples of different origins, including Persians, Kurds, and Egyptians, rather than describing a unified ethnic group 72 140.

The term shifts with context:

• In broad Frankish usage, it may refer to peoples formerly under the Arab Empire’s rule, including groups with distinct ethnic and political identities 398.
• In Egypt, religious affiliation is central: native Copts who follow Christianity remain Copts, while Copts who follow Zoroastrianism are counted as Saracens 552.
• Saracen and Kurdish identity are not interchangeable. Kurdish tribes, Turkic groups, Cumans, and other peoples serve in different armies and often have conflicting loyalties 140 427.
• Internal rivalries are common; local lords and tribes may shift allegiance between Saladin, the Sasanian King, and other powers according to circumstance 38.

History

Saracen rule in Egypt began more than five centuries before the Damietta campaign, when an initial force of just over ten thousand Saracen troops entered the region. Subsequent migration, intermarriage, and Zoroastrianization blurred the line between conquerors and the much larger native Egyptian population 552.

Under Saladin, the Ayyubid dynasty became the dominant Saracen power. His realm extended across Egypt, Arabia, Syria, and neighboring regions, but its military strength depended heavily on subordinate lords, tribal forces, garrisons, and conscripted troops rather than a completely unified standing army 83 406.

Saladin attempts to unite these disparate forces under the banner of jihad, presented as a holy war against the Crusaders 83 113. His defeats against Lothar’s forces later weaken both the military position and religious legitimacy of his rule, leading many Saracen nobles and populations to fear that the Sacred Fire has abandoned them 453 709 885.

Military Organization

Cavalry

Saracen armies field both light and heavy cavalry.

• Light cavalry — Often armed with horse bows and used for scouting, harassment, ambushes, and attempts to disrupt enemy supply lines 114 416 476.
• Mamluk Guard — The central professional force of Saladin’s armies and the backbone of his military power 406.
• Kasaghji / Kasajia Guard — An elite Mamluk formation capable of confronting Crusader knights; its members are heavily equipped horse archers with full barding 41 406.
• Qasari Guard — Royal elite cavalry personally associated with Saladin’s family and later led into battle by Adil and Prince Malik 431 707 894.
• Tribal cavalry — Bedouin, Kurdish, Black Ghulam, Turkic, Turkmen, and Cuman riders serve alongside the core army, though their discipline and loyalty vary greatly 427 477 611.

Infantry and Levies

Saracen infantry range from well-equipped elite formations to poorly armed conscripts.

• Egyptian lords can field infantry in lamellar armor, scale armor, or chainmail, with disciplined formations during major campaigns 584.
• Coptic conscripts are frequently used as rank-and-file infantry, often carrying wooden shields and wearing leather armor or cloth robes 558 708.
• Saladin’s armies also draw upon levies from tribal states and local lords, whose combat effectiveness is inconsistent 83 406.

Extraordinary Forces

Saracen commanders employ spellcasters, giant beasts, enchanted siege weapons, and dragon beasts to offset the Crusaders’ battlefield advantages 410 428 702.

• Spellcasters serve as advisers, assassins, battlefield support, and wielders of surveillance or destructive magic 382 417 702.
• Giant Beast Legion — A force of ravenous war beasts released by Adil against the Crusader army 702.
• Tyrannical Dragons and other dragon beasts participate directly in major Saracen assaults 428.
• Enchanted artillery includes stones that burn and inflict persistent damage on fortified targets 410.

Associated Figures

• Saladin — Ayyubid ruler and master of Egypt, Arabia, and Syria; seeks to unite Saracen forces through jihad while balancing the interests of powerful vassals 83 113 382.
• Adil — Saladin’s brother, Governor of Egypt, and a principal Saracen commander during the Egyptian campaigns 83 420 708.
• Zahir Ghazi — Saladin’s third son, nominal lord of Aleppo and governor of Northern Syria; commands Saracen cavalry against Lothar 90 431.
• Abdullah — Kurdish cavalry leader who initially operates among Saracen-aligned forces but later offers his cavalry’s service to Lothar, demonstrating the term’s political breadth 38 399.
• Shemiel — A powerful spellcaster employed by Saladin’s side, commanding manticores and dragon beasts while pursuing his own interests 219 435 702.

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Kalerburg campaign — Saladin gathers tribal leaders and more than twenty thousand fighting men under jihad to besiege Kalerburg, though fewer than half belong directly to his core forces 83.
• First holy war — Saracen light cavalry, traps, and missile fire attempt to wear down the Crusader army, while Zahir’s cavalry clashes repeatedly with Lothar’s Winged Hussars 90 114 116.
• Acre and Gaza offensives — Saracen forces attack Acre by sea and lay siege to Gaza under Adil, but both operations fail to decisively break Crusader resistance 419 422 426.
• Egyptian campaign — Egyptian Saracen lords mobilize heavily under Adil as Lothar advances through the Nile Delta, culminating in the collapse of the Saracen coalition at the decisive battle 584 707 708 709.
• Fall of Damascus — After Egypt’s loss, Saracen morale deteriorates as Crusader forces approach Damascus; the remaining defenders face Lothar’s siege army and demon dragon, Ladon 885 890 893 894.

Trivia

• The Franks frequently use “Saracen” as a simplified label for enemies of different ethnicities, faith communities, and loyalties 140 171.
• Saracen nobles and commoners do not universally support Saladin; several local rulers, tribes, and former enemies change sides when political or military conditions shift 38 382 816.
• As Lothar’s victories accumulate, Saracen propaganda increasingly depicts him as “Ahriman,” the incarnation of the dark god opposing the Sacred Fire 885.