The Warrior Women of Islam

Colloquial Arabic storytelling is most commonly associated with The Thousandvand One Nights. But few people are aware of a much larger corpus of narrative texts known as popular epic. These heroic romantic tales, originating in the Middle Ages, form vast cycles of adventure stories whose most remarkable feature is their portrayal of powerful and memorable women. Wildly appreciated by medieval audiences, and spread by professional storytellers throughout the cities of the Muslim world, these fictions were printed and reprinted over the centuries and comprise a vital part of Arab culture. Yet virtually none are available in translation, and so remain almost unknown to a non-Arab public. Remke Kruk at last makes these neglected romances available to a Western audience. She recounts the story of Princess Dhat al-Himma, brave and undefeated leader of the Muslim army in its wars against the Byzantines; of Ghamra, brought up as a boy to become a fearless leader of men; and of cool-headed Qannasa, raiding from her mountain fortress to capture and seduce her enemies before putting them pitilessly to the sword.The Warrior Women of Islam puts a bold new complexion on gender roles and the wider perception of women in the Middle East.

* Big, bold, revisionist book which plausibly challenges gender stereotypes about women and Islam * Makes sparkling tales and stories accessible for the first time to an English-speaking readership * Wide appeal to a variety of readers, in Middle East studies, comparative literature & medieval history

PrefaceA Note on TransliterationAbbreviationsA Note on the IllustrationsList of IllustrationsAcknowledgementsChapter IArabic popular epic: an introductory noteChapter IIWarrior women in the Arabic traditionChapter IIISîrat Dhât al-Himma I: Princess Dhât al-Himma and her many battlesChapter IVSîrat Dhât al-Himma IIChapter VSîrat Dhât al-Himma IIIChapter VIWarrior women in Sîrat 'Antar IChapter VIIWarrior women in Sîrat 'Antar IIChapter VIIIPrince H'amza al-Bahlawân: in praise of traditional womanhoodChapter IXSîrat Baybars I: LionessesChapter XSîrat Baybars II: Warrior queensChapter XIKing Sayf ibn Dhî Yazan, the soft hearted I: QamarîyaChapter XIIKing Sayf ibn Dhî Yazan II: T'âmaChapter XIIIKing Sayf ibn Dhî Yazan III: Munyat an-NufûsChapter XIVFinal observationsNotesList of illustrationsBibliography