The Saracen crest
The Saracens referred to the Sunni Muslim armies who were involved in the Muslim Conquests and Crusades in the Middle Ages. The term "Saracen" specifically refers to Muslim Arabs and not just "Arabs", as there were many Christian Arabs not referred to as "Saracens" and many Turks who were called "Saracens". The Saracens conquered the Holy Lands from the Christian Byzantine Empire in the 630s and held it against the Christian Crusaders.
History[]
Saracens were the inhabitants of the Near East and Asia Minor, referring to Sunni Muslims, whether Arabs, Turks, or black Muslims in their service. The Saracens fought against the Christian Crusaders for the first time in 1096 during the First Crusade, and the Christians seized Jerusalem and much of the Levantine coast from them. Despite some losses, the Saracens held most of the Holy Lands, and under the leadership of Saladin, they reconquered Jerusalem in 1187. The Saracens, based in Damascus and Jerusalem, fought the Christians until their defeat at the battle of Arsuf in 1191. Their defeat here and the following defeat at the Siege of Jaffa led to the Saracens making peace with the Christian king Richard the Lionheart, who was unable to recapture Jerusalem. The Saracens maintained control of Jerusalem until 1229, and recaptured it shortly after then.
Saracens troops outside of Jerusalem in 1191
The Saracens did not only fight in the Crusades, but also fought against the Byzantine Empire since the 7th century. During this time period, the Saracens expanded from Arabia to conquer all of the Middle East, Levant, and North Africa, while also conquering parts of Asia Minor. The Turks later came to the Middle East and became the new rulers, rather than Arabs (even Saladin was not an Arab; he was a Kurd from Tikrit). The Saracens also invaded southern Italy during the 10th century until their expulsion in the late 11th century by the Normans.
