The Memoirs of Usama Ibn Munqidh

Usama Ibn Munqidh was a Syrian Arab born in Shayzar, in Northern Syria in 1095, only three months before Pope Urban II delivered the address at the Conference of Clermont which would lead to the First Crusade. 90 years later, he would write his memoirs, looking back over that period and narrating a wide selection of experiences as an object lesson to others.

A lot of this book was difficult to come to grips with because of the long Muslim names and references made to various events I've never heard of. Also, its a book with a moral message and as such is not in any sort of chronological order what so ever. Instead, the parts of the book, which deal with Usama Ibn Munqidh's life and experiences are grouped into various catagories, such as Usama's time in Egypt, Battles against Franks and Muslims, Hunting and anecdotes about animals, stories of holy men and Usama's father. Perhaps the most interesting parts were those relating to combat experiences and the character of the Franks (who didn't really impress Usama at all) but these are still highly subjective and take the character of 'interesting things Usama saw or heard', rather than any account of contemporary events. Usama was a peer of Salah-al-Din for example and yet there is very little in the book which relates to Salah-al-Din's exploits (though there is enough to understand that Salah-al-Din was nothing like the figure he is portrayed as being in Ridley Scott's film, 'The Kingdom of Heaven').

On the whole though, the book is an excellent reference source for understanding the mentality of a Syrian noble in the period fo the First Crusade. Usama Ibn Munqidh seems to have been a very balanced individual, though this is of course his own self description and must be seen as such... he was certainly a survivor though and a man who lead an interesting life!
3/5


Trafalgar, an Eyewitness History.
by Tom Pocock

This is a fantastic book and in my opinion, a 'must read' for any one interested in the Napoleonic period. The book is basically just a range of eyewitness accounts, letters and dispatches from the years leading up the battle, the battle itself and its aftermath all set into chronological order, with explanations and narrative by the author. Often each event is described from different perpsectives giving a far broader and highly personal over view of the battle.

I ripped through this book in a matter of hours. The way it is written makes it so very personal and the atmosphere and ambience is alive in almost every page. The intensity of the fighting and the sheer bloody brutality of it almost comes alive to the reader and I was almost dazed by the information being set before me by so many different eye witnesses. Trafalgar, until now a mere name and a date to me, has become an actual event in my minds eye, a real battle and a horrific slaughter to compare with anything I've ever read about. There is something truly awful in reading about the massed killing of war, but such data remains at an emotional remove from the reader until the writer is actually talking about his friends and companions, naming them and describing how they die. Its a sobering read for a child of late twentieth century Denmark.

Nelson dominates the book of course. He was the great hero of his age and his exploits and reputation appear to have been far greater than I had imagined from reading Patrick O'Brians novels (who hardly obscures Nelson's popularity). The accounts of his death and his funeral remind me of the national lament at the death of Princess Diana and I wonder if there is some element in the English character that cherishes a fallen hero far more than the survivor?

It was odd, to read this book straight after the memoirs of Usama Ibn Munqidh, for I noted there was a strange similarity apparent in both books. Despite the differences of date, age and culture, that one is an individual account of an entire life time and the other is the accumulated narrative of many people regarding a single battle, what comes across most strongly is how men engaged in war are so strongly religious. In almost every account of Trafalgar the writers used much the same terminology regarding Gods will as Usama Ibn Munqidh, a devout Muslim warrior. They placed their lives in Gods hands and accepted the outcome of his will using words that today I associate with Islamic fundamentalism. There is very little moral questioning with regards to war in either book and the Trafalgar account in particular is full of unquestioned nationalism and accounts of happiness at the prospect of combat.
5/5