Moslems in Sicilian service

[Hakonarson]

Saracen archers (http://www.deremilitari.org/saracen%20archers.htm) - makes for interesting reading.

[Nowake]

I don't have the time to read it now, but having read "The Sicilian Vespres" by Runciman, I can say that I have a pretty good ideea about the importance of the saracens of Lucera.

[Leet Eriksson]

Roger II was known of using alot of saracens.

[Magraev]

Maybe the sicilians should have access to some moslem units? saracen infantry, murabitin?

[Orda Khan]

The Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II employed Saracen Crossbowmen

........Orda

[LadyAnn]

Sicilians [faction] do have the Alhughavars [in MTW/VI game].

Annie

[Nowake]

Quote[/b] (LadyAnn @ June 14 2003,01:16)]Sicilians [faction] do have the Alhughavars [in MTW/VI game].

Annie
but weren't those one of catalan origin? Really, I think they were http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Hakonarson]

Yes Almughvars are Catalan - the Sicilian ones were the "Catalan Company" - a famous bunch of adventurers who have a great story.

In 1282 the Sicilians revolted against Charles of Anjou, and invited Pere III of Aragon to rule them - he bought over a force of Aragones and Catalans and fought the War of hte Sicilian Vespers.

In 1301 peace finally left Sicily in Aragonese hands, and Naples in Angevin hands, and a surplus of Catalans, who transfered to Byzantine service as the Grand Company in 1302.

Of interest may be that hte leader of hte company was Rutger von Blum - an apostasized Templar sergeant who had made a fortune and fame athte fall of Acre in 1291...but that's not important right now http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

The Byzantines made v Blum a Grand Duke, and hte company promptly got into bloody street fights with Genoese in Constantinople They were then shiped to Anatolia to fight hte Turks with 10,000 alani - 9,000 of whom deserted after arguments with the Catalans. At this time the Catalans numbered maybe 1500 cavalry, 4000 Almughvars and 1000 other infantry.

They then defeated the Turks in a series of battles - after which success v Blum began to think he might make a good Byzantine Emperor for a little state in Anatolia that he intended to carve out for himself, but he got himself assasinated instead, along with a pre-arranged massacre of maybe 2300 of the company.

In 1308 they suffered an internal power struggle and split up. The largest part (now some 8-9000 men including 300 Turks) left their base in Gallipoli and entered service withthe Frankish Duke of Athens, only to be dismissed without pay in 1310.

In revenge the Company attacked the Duchy of Athens and conquered it, retaining it under a series of absentee Aragonese Dukes until 1388, when they were overthown by the "Navaresse Company".......and so it goes on

[MiniKiller]

very interesting