Grounds of the Religious Convergence in Aleppo in the Early Crusades: The Role of Imami Judges

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Islamic History, faculty of Islamic studies, Ahl al-Bayt International University, Tehran, Iran

2 department of history, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Shiraz university, Shiraz, Iran

3 Department of Religions and Mysticism, faculty of Islamic studies, Ahl al-Bayt International University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

The siege of Aleppo by the crusaders posed a threat to the city’s security, livelihood, and economy. The inefficiency of the city’s rulers brought Aleppo to the brink of collapse. In response, Shiite families and Imami judges in Aleppo worked to eliminate this threat. This study aims to examine the role of Shiite judges in creating security in Aleppo. The findings of this study reveal that the judges in Aleppo utilized their social and divine influence to invite powerful Sunni rulers, such as the Artuqids and the rulers of Mosul, to restore political, livelihood, and economic security in Aleppo. The judges’ political actions were primarily focused on military attacks, famine, disease, and the shutting down of trade. Therefore, this study examines the political, social, and economic context of Aleppo to understand the actions of these judges.

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