Usamah Ibn-Munqidh's Muslim Perspective Of The Frank

In Usamah Ibn-Munqidh’s Muslim Perspective of the Frank’s he demonstrates the relationship between Muslims and Franks. This can be characterized into the three examples that the excerpt from his memoires; the Franks’ lack of sense, the Franks’ lack of jealousy and Resident Franks vs. New-comers to the Near East. For the Franks’ lack of common sense Ibn-Munqidh presents the noble intention of the Frankish knight. He establishes the friendliness of the knight, “He was of my intimate fellowship, and kept such constant company that he began to call me brother” (42). Ibn-Munqidhs’ personal anecdote demonstrates the friendly nature, that the knight has toward him. Their bond is close enough that the author is even referred to as brother. The knight offers to take the author’s son back with him for a higher education. However the knight does not think of what he is asking, “Thus there fell upon my ears words which would never come out of the head of a sensible man: for even if my son were to be taken captive, his captivity would bring him a worse misfortune than carrying him into the lands of the Franks” (42). In Ibn-Munqidh’s mind by sending his son to

Ibn-Munqidh claims that, “Franks are void and zeal of jealousy” (42). He makes this claim due to the examples that he displays, which can be seen where a Frank shop keeper finds a man in his bed sleeping with his wife. Instead of thinking the worst he allows the man to explain what actually happened and he lets him off with warning (43). Usamah Ibn-Munqidh uses this example in order to establish the lack or possessiveness of a Frank has over his wife. Instead of the shop keeper threatening the man that was obviously there for other reasons he believes the man and lets him off with a warning. Ibn-Munqidh is describing the insane nature that the Franks have by commenting on the lack of jealousy, especially in situations where it should be