The Templars at War by Zvonimir Grbasic;

Author:Zvonimir Grbasic;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History / Military / Medieval
Publisher: Casemate Publishers & Book Distributors, LLC
Published: 2022-05-30T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Enemies

In 1096 the crusaders came to Asia Minor to meet an enemy whose army was also composed almost completely of horsemen, but with different battle customs. Muslim warriors were also individuals, lacking the discipline to constitute permanent units. Hundreds of years before that, the Prophet gave Arabs the faith in one God and left the believers with the book of laws, the Quran, and one leader (both military and religious, in the form of the caliph) to rule them on Earth. Unlike the Christians who preached peace, Mohammed called the followers of Islam to fight the infidels with a sword in their hand so as to gain an eternal place in Paradise. At the time of his heirs, in the seventh and eighth centuries, faith led the desert warriors and made them a very disciplined army, including even the belligerent Bedouin tribes famous for their disobedience.

At the time of the first caliphs, Muslims started the battle by sending off the mubarizunes, elite horsemen proven in duels as excellent javelin-throwers, archers and swordsmen, before the front line; following the ancient customs of Byzantium, Persia and the Arabs, they would challenge the best of the enemy’s warriors to duels. The goal was to cut down as many enemy champions as possible before the enemy lines and thus influence fighting morale on both sides. Only the bravest and most confident in their skill dared to ride out and fight without help from their comrades. Such famous warriors were celebrated in their own ranks and provoked awe among the enemy. Their very presence encouraged poorer fighters, similar to the effect that the top players have in sports teams today. One should try to look at it from the position of warriors observing the duel. On the winner’s side, a view of the victor rising in his stirrups and swinging his bloodied weapon caused cheers from the warriors, creating even more noise by banging their weapons against armour and shields. Like a crowd in the stands of a sports arena, general elation strengthened the feeling of community and gave faith in their side’s superiority and victory. On the other side stood the enemy, quietly watching the lifeless body of their fighter, one foot still stuck in the stirrup of the sweaty horse, with only an occasional sigh, prayer or angry cry rising here and there. The death of a comrade certainly provoked a desire for vengeance in some, but a general feeling of unease and anxiety could certainly not be subdued. If their best warrior had lost, what could those with less prowess in arms, physically weaker or poorer riders expect in the battle with the enemy’s champion? If the army was small, everything took place within little space, or if the soldiers were inexperienced, it could easily happen that the whole fighting line took one look at the enemy charge and simply turned their backs, running from the battlefield. By fighting and winning duels, even a stronger enemy could be dissuaded from the real battle.

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