Usama Ibn Munqidh - Early Life

Early Life

Usama was the son of Murshid, and the nephew of Nasr, emir of Shaizar. The Banu Munqidh had taken control of Shaizar from the Byzantine Empire in 1080, and Nasr became its first emir. When Nasr died in 1098, Usama's other uncle, Sultan, succeeded him, rather than Murshid, who was the older sibling. Murshid was noted for his piety and he refused to take up such a worldly position.

As a child, Usama was raised by his nurse, Lu'lu'a, who had also raised his father and would later raise Usama's own children. He was encouraged by his father to memorize the Qur'an, and was also tutored by scholars such as Ibn Munira of Kafartab and Abu Abdullah al-Tulaytuli of Toledo. He spent much of his youth hunting with his family, partly as recreation and certainly as warrior (faris) training for battle as part of furusiyya. He also had much direct experience of battle, against the neighbouring crusader County of Tripoli and Principality of Antioch, hostile Muslim neighbours in Hama, Homs, and elsewhere, and Hashshashin who had established a base near Shaizar.

Sultan did not initially have any male heirs and it is possible that Usama expected to succeed him. However, after Sultan had his own son, he no longer appreciated the presence of Usama and Murshid's other sons, who could have taken Shaizar for themselves if they wanted it; according to Usama, Sultan was jealous after a particularly successful lion-hunt in 1131, although Sultan probably considered Usama an arrogant nuisance. Sultan therefore exiled Usama on June 6 of that year.