Abu-I-Hassan Ali ibn Abd-ar-Rahman al-Farazi al-Andalus

Ibn Hudayl
Born	ca. 1329
Genres	War book
Language	Arabic
Notable work(s)	Kitab tuhfat al-anfus wa'si'ar sukkan al-Andalus

Abu-I-Hassan Ali ibn Abd-ar-Rahman al-Farazi al-Andalus, more famously known as Ibn Hudayl, was a 14th century Andalusian scholar and military theorist.

Little is known about him, including when he was born. Louis Mercier calculates that he wrote his first treatise Kitab tuhfat al-anfus wa'si'ar sukkan al-Andalus ("Gift of the spirit or souls of the Andalusians") under Muhammed V (who reigned twice from 1354-1359 and 1362-1391) therefore his date of birth can be estimated to 1329 (deducing he wrote he first treatise at 30 and was 70 in the year 1399). What we do know is he belonged to one of the prestigious families of Granada, who were descended from the 42 tribes of the Arabian Peninsula at the time of the Islamic conquests and settled in Al-Andalus. We can also deduce that he studied under a number of well-known teachers at the time, with knowledge of various disciplines including literature, politics, veterinary studies and hippology (the study of horses), art, theology, and, of course, military matters. It is therefore sound to conclude that he was educated under the Madrasa (the religious or secular educational institutions of higher learning in the Islamic world), and like any Islamic scholar, would have assumed several professional positions in education and politics, and received patronage under various nobles. It's possible he may have worked for some of the Nasird Sultans as diwan al-insha (chancellery or official secretariat) of the Alhambre. With the rank of faqih, he assisted the court, by, for example, participating in the festivities that Yusuf III organised for the aqiqa (naming ceremony) of his newborn heir Yusuf on 19th June 1409, and recited a poem in honour of the amir'. His lack of attention is seen in his own personal work where he complains at times about this misfortune and the difficult conditions he endured, and in his poems, he requests help from Muhammed V and Yusuf III near the end of his life.

Ibn Hudayl wrote "Gala of the Knight, Blazon of the Champion" in 1392. It is a furusiya treatise which was abridged from a longer work that he produced in his youth. Despite being well-educated and coming from a prestigious Arab family, it seems his early work did not come to the attention of Muhammad V or VI (who he dedicated his work to), possibly owing to the situation the Emirate of Granada found itself in during the 14th century. During this time, there seems to have been more interest in non-military works, with a focus on the arts, coinciding with a moderate political status quo between Granada and the Christian Spanish Kingdoms. This second treatise coincides with the coronation of Sultan Nazari Muhammad VII, and was probably composed in his honour. This was a time an increasingly military and deteriorating political situation in the Spanish Peninsula, and there was likely a greater demand for military treatises.

Like the treatise written in his earlier life, the purpose of "Gala of the Knight, Blazon of the Champion" was to proclaim the necessity for a Holy War against Christians in Spain and a rearmament of Islam, something that had been ignored previously but had now been bought into the fold. In many ways, the work also serves as a propaganda tool to forward the Nasrid cause.

Treatise

The treatise focuses on furusiya, which means “horsemanship” but whose wider implication, as a verb, came to mean knighthood, chivalry, and the related sets of skills. These include not only horsemanship but veterinary work and hippology, polo, lance, sword, shield, spear, mace, javelin, archery, wrestling, boxing, hunting, falconry, engineering, siegecraft, and military strategy and tactics. Ibn Hudayl provides some named treatises as references in his introduction; however, it is highly likely that his work covered several unnamed treatises as well. This speaks to the state of furusiya literature at the time, which commonly rehashed older works, whereby the authors either attributed the treatises to fictional names or are left completely anonymous. (This is in contrast to earlier periods in which treatises would stringently reference or quote their source material.) This is a combination of two key factors: the demand for furusiya literature which lead to a higher supply of treatises being published (as was the case in Mamluk Egypt), and the fact Ibn Hudayl’s work was intended to be a shorter, more convenient, abridged version of his earlier treatise. With this in mind, sections of Ibn Hudayl’s work concerning weapon use are often brief, but the poems and expressions given in the work provide us with clues as to how the weapons described were used. Whether or not Ibn Hudayl had any martial or military experience himself is debatable, but his work seems to correspond and reference a myriad of other treatises. In the Islamic world, the use of furusiya and poetry in anthologies were perceived to be both prestigious product and a mark of the mastery of the Arab language, as well as a qualifier of who was truly educated and simply not a pseudo-educated charlatan. As a result, the work seems to be detailed, flowery, and well-referenced.

The treatise has a general introduction with 20 sections on different subjects; only the last six are dedicated to the use of different weapons. The first fourteen are dedicated to the horse, its maintenance, breeding, veterinary care, riding, etc. For the purpose of this translation, these chapters have been omitted. The weapons covered are sword, spear, bow (and crossbow), shield, and a final chapter of their general uses, as well as a separate chapter dedicated to the coat of mail.

This translation is based on the Spanish translation published by Maria Jesus Viguera in 1977, under the title Gala de Caballeros, Blasón de Paladines.

Prologue

Draft Translation by Nicholas Petrou	Transcription
In the name of God, gracious and merciful.
Hail to our Lord Muhammad, his family and companions.
So says this servant of God, of His needful mercy, Ali ibn Abd al-Rahman ibn Hudayl will be assisted by God: Praise be God, who granted us the Faith, who, in his Qur'anic norms, served us as animals serve us; that of Arab race the horse is created, for punishment of idolaters! God bless and hail Muhammad, our owner and lord, and his family, as they continue to rotate the nights and the days!
May God have satisfaction from his Caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar, Ali, Utman!
Well, God has destined his successful help, more lasting power and eternal praises, to the great turbulent majesty, glorious, august, exalted, our Lord, tower of our souls and our bodies, champion of our religion, pillar of the believers, vicarious of the Lords of the World, Caliph and Iman, honourable king and emperor, of high power among the most powerful sovereigns, splendid, generous, excellent, virtuous, complete, of solid piety, equanimous, the effective warrior, the most esteemed leader, the most fortunate and victorious, the most noble and pure, that this century ignites with incomparable luster, because God has granted him the highest powers, making him be born of chosen men, virtuous, triumphant, that for his good clothes he is known and by his sublime ranks, the prince of the Muslims al-Musta'in bi'llah Abu Abd Allah Muhammed son of our Lord the singular hero, the most illustrious and glorious, eminent, notable, famous and great, of noble pledge and high titles (noble garments and high titles), prince of the Muslims, al-Musta'in bi-llah, fighter for the Faith, the perfect and mourned Abu l'Hayyay Yusuf, son of our Lord, great caliph and Iman, safe protector, shadow of God, guardian of his creatures, who lends sword in defence of His Faith, the veil of God covering His land, guarantee of the community, propitiator of favours, just and famous warmonger, good, majestic and more, great sultan, very honourable, prince of the Muslims, fighter for the Lord of the Worlds, who with God was enough and with His help was the victor, the perfect and mourned Abu Abd Allah Muhammad, son of our Lord the prince of the Muslims and vicarious of God, the great champion sultan, of noble garments and virtues, submitter of infidels and conqueror, eminent and grandiose, the perfect and lamented, who benefits God, Abu l-Hayyay Jusuf, son of our Lord the prince of the Muslims fighter for God, honour of kings and sultans , the glory of Islam and the Muslims, of special fortune, eminent hero, bold and courageous, of merit and virtuous the perfect and lamented, who benefits God, Abu l'Walid Isma'il b. Nasr.
Save God your majesties, preserve your dynasty and raise your sights.
This Lord, God give him victory, is our earthly king, who is reconciled to consensus and general applause, as all the coalitions have been able to unite, and beautiful conduct is a universal theme, stretching to Syria and Iraq. Happiness fills its kingdom, triumph smiles from the top of its lances, victory is knotted to its flag, praise is woven in its mantle. Flowery God has given him for teaching the war against the infidel, and the orthodox path by natural tendency. He has saved al-Andalus from the gusts of sedition, from the evils of hatred. Thus the Islamic religion has been clarified in this Andalusian country; by charisma of this illustrious hero all places have been reborn, all kinds of graces are abundant, all prosperity is fixed, all Algeria insured, all affliction cancelled. Thanks be to God that his dynasty rose above all, making the other kings of the earth their subjects and slaves.
Can there be a more eminent service, a more dignified pretension, a more fruitful zeal, than to raise up an august king a noble branch of the Sciences? And precisely this king commissioned this server of his to compose and polish, census and screen, this book about war and tournament, weapons and horses, the good qualities they possess or the defects that make them rejectable, but everything that is tied with riding, and rules of learning riding with everything that can be done in this.
This book I composed according to several others, those for this I chose; they are titled, namely: Notice of remiss for use of the brave rider. Careful appreciation of the brave and courageous. Rest of the souls on steeds and weapons. The Book of the Damyati cavalry. The Alfaraz Treaty. The Book of the nature of animals, by Aristotle.
And others, that now I do not bring to collation because I have barely taken advantage of them, or are in aspects so negligible that they do not deserve reference.
It has turned out to be, thank God, a book in its very complete genre; its agenda is drawn with correct style; and serves as a memento for those who are concerned about wars, and as an instruction for those who give themselves to spears and swordsmanship.
I'm going to title it Gala of the Knight, Blazon of the Champion.
It is comprised of twenty chapters: Creation of the Horse. The first one used. Its spread throughout the earth. Qualities of the horse. Promises agreed to those who raise them. Maintenance and care of horses. Advice on this. As the Bedouin Arabs call the different parts of the horse. Coincidences of some of those terms with the name of birds. The best qualities of each of its (the horse's) parts, and similarities that should be present with other animals. The colouring of horses. Their spots, stars, whites and swirls. The good characteristics of the horse. Notes of what its excellence supposes. Mention of the thoroughbreds. Natural and acquired defects. How to choose and test horses. Recognition of their physiognomic features. How to learn to ride it in different lots. The horse races, the arrival to the goal, the bets. Name of the horses of the Prophet, of the stallions and other memorable Arabian horses. Different terms and other appellations with related cavalry. Anthology of verses that highlight the extraordinary fondness of Arabs for horses, their way of honouring them and the rings of glory that earned them. The sword. The spear. The bows and arrows. The coat of mail. The shield and similarities. Arms and equipment of war in general.
With this we will fulfil the book, may God make it profitable. May He tell it to us as a pious intention. The Lord of Triumph; The guide; He, the Only Lord.

Chapter XV - The Sword

Draft Translation by Nicholas Petrou	Transcription
The Prophet said: "Whoever moves the sword in the service of God, God will clothe him with the cloak of glory". For his part, Ali ibn Abi Talib states: "I heard the Prophet say that God adorns his angels by having them draw swords, and that they pray for Muhammad while he holds a sword."
According to al-Ahnaf ibn Qays: "The Arabs will be Arabs as long as they continue wearing turbans and carrying swords, and while they do not understand magnanimity as a reproach".
The Prophet had many swords, among which is counted: "Du I-faqar", which he achieved in booty on the day of the Battle of Badr, and which had belonged to Munabbih ibn al-Hayyay. "Al-Adb" that was given to him by Said ibn Ubada. Also: "Battar", "Mijdam", "Rasuf" and "Hatf". He also had a qala'I sword, taken from the Banu Qaynuqa. He had also inherited one from his father. Such are the swords of the Prophet which are known to him.
Tradition tells that Ukkasa ibn Mihsan fought, in the Battle of Badr, with his sword, until it was broken. Then the Prophet came and gave him a piece of tree branch, saying "fight with this, Ukkasa!". When he picked it up, he brandished it, and then it changed into a long sword, very solid, of white iron. And he fought with her until God granted the Muslims victory.
This sword was called "Awn". His owner continued to assist him with all the combats, together with the Prophet, until he perished, even in the time of the caliphate of Abu Bakr.
It is also said that the sword of Abd Allah ibn Yahs broke the day of the Battle of Uhud. The Prophet then handed him a branch of palm tree, which upon taking it became a sword, whose grip formed the same piece with the rest. This sword was called "Uryn", and it continued to be owned, until it was bought by Baga the Turk.
The Arabs said: "The sword is the shadow of death and the game of Destiny", that's why they also called it "The Terrible".
Among the sayings that are said about it: "The sword draws more than reproach". "Everything that Ibn Dara has said is carried by the sword." "The sword is good companion and true friend and swift messenger".
That is what Abu Tammam al-Ta'i (verse 61) says: The sword gives more loyal news than writing, on its edge is the edge of mockery and you will see truth. It offers white blades and no black blades and their strokes dispel all doubt or error.
The sword dispenses with other weapons, but almost no others can replace it. Does it not always accompany the employment of all others? So says Yami al-Muharibi: "When a sword strikes with a sword, there is no other option."
A verse of the Mutanabbi (verse 62): Despised the spears and abandoned them, it would be said that the sword of the spear disowns.
And it is that the Arabs drives the sword as if it were a spear; with it they beat, as if it were a rod; with it they cut, as if it were a knife; they used it as a whip and as a lash; it is his ornament in public; his light in the darkness; his company in solitude; his fellow in the desert; his comrade of sleep and the way, so they call it: "coat", "cape", "rod", "dress", "clothing". It is the "judge of combats", the "decision of human litigation".
All these facets have inspired poetry, and have cradled proverbs or histories.
This is how Utba ibn Abd al-Sulami referred: The prophet handed me a short sword, and warned me: "if you cannot wield it, spear with it".
And a Bedouin asked his two sons which sword was the best for them. The first replied: "The one of polished edge, the one of a sharp cut, resolute and long; that when brandishing, does not err; when it gives, it does not bounce." The other said: "A good sword you have described, but the one I prefer is another."
"And what is it?" They asked him. And he answered: "The one of a sharp edge, of a shining brightness, always hungry and thirsty, that to the swung, it cuts, and when finding, it kills".
He asked them now which sword was the worst. And one replied: "The one that eases and bounces and rejects the bones and the flesh, the one that when it hits, does not cut and to behead is useless".
Then I ask the other one who answered: "You have described a bad sword! But the worst one for me is not like that". Asked, then, how it was, he replied: "The blunt, the rusty, unsafe handle, and no matter how hard you try, you do not bleed."
They say that Umar ibn al-Khattab asked one day: "Who is the noblest of all Arabs?" "Hatim al-Ta'i," they said. "And who is your best poet?" "Imru al-Qays," they told him. "And which is the sharpest sword?" "That of Amr ibn Ma'dikarib al-Zubaydi," they told him. Umar then sent to ask for Amr's sword, which was called "the Samsama". So he did; but then, when he tasted it, he discovered that it was not such, and he told Amr, who answered: "The Emir of the Believers sends my sword, but do not send him the arm that was brandishing it".
Al-Haytam ibn Adi telata states that when the sword of Amr ibn Ma'dikarib, the famous "Samsama", happened to be of Musa al-Hadi, he sent it to him, and when he placed it in front of him, unsheathed, he said to his chamberlain : "Call the poets!" When they were present, he ordered them to sing to the sword. I take Anas' word (verse. 63): Musa al-Amin, for himself, has allowed himself the sword "Samsama" of the Zubaydi. This Amr's steel, as we have heard, Is the best that ever was sheathed. The blade reverberates between its edges, with steely light that the eye follows. The thunder set him on fire then it gave him the fate of his Deadly Destiny. Function is almost the light of the sun, whose rays hardly resists the eye. That brightness and brilliance that runs through its blade seems to be the outbreak of a poison. It would be said that her fate depends, or that each of its edges that is Fatum. That I bet the warrior that in a full clash takes it close! What a great companion! The same can be given to whoever draws it, If he wield your hand grim or right!
It is added that Musa gave the poet a fortune, or that he gave him the sword, and then bought it for fifty thousand dirhams.
It is said that Urwa ibn al-Zubayr asked Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan to return the sword of his brother Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr. He presented her in a pile of drawn swords, but Urwa recognized her among all. Abd al-Malik asked him how he had met her, and the other answered him with the verse of al-Nabiga (verse 64): No defect they have, but their swords they have nicked its edge in the clash of the squadrons. Since the day of Halima they come inheriting, and since then all the avatars have tried.
A Christian king sent Harun al-Rasid three swords, among many others present. In each one there was an inscription. In the first "Warrior, attack and you will achieve spoils, but do not think about the result, (otherwise) you will be defeated!" In the second: "If the cut of your sword does not reach its destination, lengthen it, after having thrown off your fear." In the third: "Prudence, when there is no fear that the occasion escapes, it is better than the urgency to achieve the desired."
The sword has in Arab appellative many and abundant denominations. Thus, for example, it is called "yunti", which according to Abu Ubayda qualifies that it is made of the best cast iron, although it is also indicated that Yunti was the name of the smith who made them. Those that were made in India had a special and allusive term called "Hindi" or "Muhannad" or "Hun-Duwani". Also those made in Yemen were called "yemenies" like the Qal'a, "qal'ies", although it is also indicated that this designates their white colour.
The so-called "qasusi" comes from the mountain of Qasus, where there is an iron mine. The "Masrafi" comes from Masarif, Arab villages, near the Rif. Others are called "surayyi", from the smith who made them.
And according to its characteristics it also receives different names, so it is called "face" to the very wide one; "branch", if it is thin and well adjusted; the one that is not shored up is "driven", that applies so much to the one that is not smoothed, as to the one that is not very well finished or well-honed. If it is narrow, it is distinguished by the term "fine". If it shows grooves that undermine the blade it is called "furrowed" or "ribbed", that's why they were called the swords of the Prophet and of Ali, although it is said that this term of "scratched" is applied to the sharp sword only by one of its edges, while on the other it is blunt: this is how the sword "Samsama" of Amr ibn Ma'dikarib was characterized. When the edges are made of steel and the blade made of iron, it is called "steel", as are the Christian swords, which, according to the Arabs, were made by geniuses; The truth is that they are more resistant when used properly from the beginning, while Hindu swords tend to break when they are still cold; they are, therefore, better for strong attacks. If shining it is called "brilliant". If by its consistency, purity and perfect polish, no blood is adhered to it, it is called "polished". If it takes many years of use and has worn its edge, it is called "dented". If blunt and does not cut, it is called "dull". If its blade has any reflection, it is called "illuminated". If it is used to cut wood, or things like that, then it is "pruning tool", if it is used to chop meats or bones, it is "knife".
There are many qualifiers on its edge. To designate that it cuts very well the words used are: "acute", "incisive", "sharp", "voracious", "keen", light "," cutting"," pointed "and" sharpened ", all of which allude to the accuracy of the cut, if it goes through the bones, he is called "resolute." If it is very firm, if it never bends, "persistent."
Its different parts have their names: "pearl" and "glare" is a brightness that shows and gives the impression that water runs from it when it is brandished. "Dubab" is the tip; the part before her is "zubatan". "Turn" are the edges. "Amud" is the center. "Matn" is the whole blade. "spike" is the part that enters the hilt. "hilt" is the whole part that is not blade. "Qabid" ("grip") is the upper part of the hilt. "Sa'ira" is what holds her.
There is also a whole terminology of the scabbard, which is called "yafn", "jilla" or "jilal", although this last name says it applies to the inner skin of the scabbard. "Hama'il" or "Kalb" is a buckle through which the sword belt passes.
A poet says, taking advantage of the double meaning of "kalb" ("dog") (verse. 65) How many times I saw the face of the dog Straps that adorn the emir to be!
Among the poems that name the sword, this one from Tarafa (verse. 66): Swear from my side do not remove the cutting edge of my Hindu sword, so faithful that no blow misses. He is told to "calm", and replies "already". It is enough to resort once to your cut, which is a spark and not a catana. (Indian sabre or cutlass) Whenever the others go for their weapons, Just by holding it I was undefeated.
And from Ibn al-Mu'tazz (verse. 67): A steel I have and to my credit a thousand deaths, for never without blood has it been drawn, on top of your blades you can see glares, like a shred of clear cloud under the sky.
And from al-Alawi (verse. 68): On its brightness it would be called a silver wave, which advances and returns between its two edges, as if they were eyes of small ants, among those who appear the eyes of crickets. It is steel that brings terror, as an envoy of God to take life.
And from Ibn Abd Rabbihi (verse. 69): Grooved sword that meets the law's destiny, and what Destiny decrees cannot be stopped! It is a radiance that when you see it, pierces your eyes, and it is a lightning that when wielding it explodes. With unsheathing it ends the life of heroes, and from it death is frightened, the terrible death. When in combat with another similar one that is found, It seems that one soul goes against another soul.
And from Ibn al-Zaqqaq (verse. 70): Thirsty steel that drinks in the spring of neck, without ever it's thirst being quenched. We represent it, sparkling, open march, like a star, like a flaming torch. Like a ardent fire was owned by him, in the war, the valiant champion: to stir your spirits. Its blade rivals crystal clear water. and like fire burns in each pit. Because of its brightness it seems crowned with pearls, and steals lives, without letting itself be robbed. Until his sheath of his blade escapes, as the water drains from a web of algae.
Another poet composes (verse 71): A hindu steel that a glint travels through, and the deadly fire on its edge burns. Its waters almost floods who is moving, and to whoever its burning almost sears.
And from Abu l-'Ala al-Ma'arri (verse. 72): And if it were not that your sword is thin, we would say that the dejection thins it. Daughter of the fire, is licked and faint, as if the consumption was inherited from her father. So ornate your sheath, you would say It's covered in stars and road of the moon. Straight is the blade, from end to end. so it is difficult to distinguish the result. The clearness of the water shines on it, and also you find the burning of the fire. When we see the emir brandishing it, you say a mirage over the air. Scale by her bloody destinations, that then in tingling it transforms. Any other sword melts in her fear, That without the hold of the sheath, it would be liquefied. And is that, if not the sword, a friend can be found of permanent affection?
And from Abu l-Abbas al-Tutili (verse. 73): Swords red and thirsty: they make their blades, waters; more as if from them they run and fall, they are barren. It could be said that in them a Holocaust has been created, but they are never said they are idols or sacrificers. Unarmed, but they know that they are drawn, coats of mail of heroes are changed into shrouds.
Among the most fortunate allusion to the sword is this verse by Habib ibn Aws (verse 74): Wielded like a sword, if a man's hands do not, his very thrust would have unsheathed.
A description, emphasized, from al-Nabiga (verse. 75): Penetrates even the redoubled coat of Saluqa, and burns the loins with a spark of fire.
Numerous are the verses that refer to the sword, but what we have brought to collation is a sufficient sample.
The basic condition of sword management is that it does not draw, but when fenced with. If it's been drawn before, it can provoke cowardice.
There is no other weapon that needs so much care when used as the sword; for many who do not exercise caution or dexterity often injure the horse's ear or arms, or even cut off their own ears or their own legs, or leave them marked. So when the knight goes to use the sword, he will rest only the toes on the stirrups, without anything protruding ahead, always in convenient measure for good support. Flourish vertically or horizontally.
When the attacking the front, take extreme care of oneself and the horse. Take the hand, when giving blows, the farthest possible. With all this, safety will be achieved.
Try to always have the adversary to the right, especially if it is a lancer.
Whoever wants to learn and train in their handling, take a tender cane or branch, kneel it on the ground, firmly. Move away then, leaving it to your right, gallop your horse, and, when close, unsheathe the sword, soon, careful and lightly. From a sideways cut, to the part of cane or branch that is at the height of your head, or deliver horizontally, with ease and lightness. Repeat this several times, cutting in each pass as much as you can, until the length of the stick is only the size of a cubit. Follow this practice until it becomes so habitual, that it is done with total dexterity, God willing.

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Translation	Nicholas Petrou	Wiktenauer
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