Often at the front line of some of the most dramatic moments in Islamic history, including the invasion of the Turks into the Middle East, the collapse of Shi''ite political power, and, above all, the coming of the Crusades, Usama ibn Munqidh (1095-1188) was a Syrian poet and warrior. Stressing Usama''s literary achievements as much as his political adventures, Cobb''s biography examines the complete literary legacy of this famous ''Arab-Syrian Gentleman'', and offers a unique window into his life, times, and world of thought.
