Fatimid Caliphate Roster and Info
Hi everyone,
These are just some of my suggestions for the Fatimid Roster.
Dividing the Troops of the Fatimids into late and early, as the Ayyubids fielded a different army in both style and substance compared to the Fatimds. The blending of both armies to fit gameplay needs is more than appropriate.
Fatimid Egyptian
The original Fatimid armies that finally took Egypt after several failed attempts consisted of warlike but undisciplined Berber tribesmen. Once in control of Egypt, the Fatimids largely lost interest in the Maghreb (rougly meaning westerners: Berber troops) and their Berber tribal supporters, and concentrated on Egypt and in trying to control Syria. This process involved transitioning to a new professional army.
In the AD 970s large numbers of Dailami mercenaries were recruited along with increasing numbers of Turks (both Ghilman and free mercenaries).
After the civil wars of the mid 11th century, the Muslim Armenian wazir introduced large numbers of Armenian soldiers fleeing Anatolia, which was being overrun by the Great Seljuks. Most of the Armenians were infantry archers and were highly regarded. They were increasingly used as replacements for the Turks within Fatimid forces. As most of the Armenians were Christians, this was a source of considerable friction with other factions of the Fatimids.
Ghulams – Standard Ghulams the Fatimids were less dependent and made less use of Ghulam forces when compared to their Seljuk neighbours. From 975, the Fatimids enlisted increasing numbers of Turkic Ghulams. The Ghulams were excellent troops, but rapidly acquired considerable political power that complicated the internal politics of the Fatimid armies. The Ghulams lost their political influence and were radically reduced in numbers in the wake of the civil war of the 1060s and in the face of a threatening Seljuk invasion of Egypt.
Ajand Horseman – The Ajnad was the professional core of the Fatimid army. It mainly consisted of cavalry lancers along with the Abdal-Shira foot. The Ajnad Cavalry were highly trained professional soldiers quartered in barracks in Cairo and a few other major cities. They were of very mixed ethnic backgrounds (Maghrebis, Sudanis, Syrians, Egyptians, Armenians, and even some Europeans).
Fatimid Provincial Cavalry -A large part of the Fatimid cavalry forces were based in the provinces and supported by Iqta. This was supplemented by cash payments when on active service. They were not as well trained and equipped as the Ajnad troopers.
Berber Tribal Cavalry or Bedouin Tribal Cavalry – Light Cavalry as currently depicted works fine.
Turcomen mercenaries – Light horse archers periodically used by the Fatimids
Dailami Guards – Heavy Shock troops. Arabic writers describe how they constantly train for battle as relaxation, are equipped with double-pointed spears or axes for a shock role. They formed up in a shield-wall - a poem written in 1048 calls the Dailamite shields "similar to a wall and painted in 100 colours" V Minorsky, "La Domination des Dailamites", The performance of the Fatimid Dailami guard against the Byzantines, when in one engagement the attack of 500 Dailami guardsmen broke the Byzantine centre, particularly suggests their shock infantry role.
Armenian 'Qaws' Archers - The Armenians were regarded as excellent archers and are sometimes just referred to as "bows" (qaws). They were permanently embodied regiments, with their own barracks – which seems to suggest regular status. They were of sufficient confidence to claim that a 1000 of them could conquer the world up to the walls of Constantinople.
Abid al-shira – Either spearman or swordsman (african troops) Abid al-Shira formed the core of the professional Fatimid infantry. They were recruited from black Africans, at least some of whom were slave soldiers. They were good quality heavy infantry and were often supported by archers.
While there is a long-standing belief that the Sudanese in the Fatimid army were mostly archers (see for instance, Smail's Crusading Warfare) this is not supported by contemporary evidence. While black troops did serve in the early Fatimid army, these were not distinguished from other Maghribi troops until the 11th expansion. From the 11th on, when the abid al-shira (or al-sudan or in one instance, zanj) are mentioned, the following information is relayed to us: First, the Fatimid army in Palestine suffered from the archery of their opponents, and part of the drive to acquire eastern troops was to obtain "Turkish" archers to gain parity. The Abid al-shira was not seen as providing effective archers. Secondly the Latin accounts of battles with the black troops do not mention their archery. They are described as being armed with maces or flails, or javelins ("A countless host of infantry trained to throw the javelin..." says William of Tyre, and Baldwin I was wounded by such a javelin). Latin victories describe the war-litter of the black troops, and it is swords and spears that dominate ("Moorish" swords in particular, giving credence to this being a correct account). Thirdly, in the battle in Cairo between the Syrian troops of Shirkuh and Saladin and the black troops, the archery that afflicted the Syrians was from the Armenians. The Armenians unlike the abid al-shira were regarded as excellent archers and are sometimes just referred to as "bows" (qaws). No such attributions are given to the black troops.
Lutat Macemen – there is some evidence of these troops being used by the fatimids (see dembus maceman in Broken crescent)
Berber Tribal Archers – Current depiction is fine
Maghrebi - The Fatimids continued to enlist some Berber and other Maghrebi soldiers after the civil wars in and subsequent army reforms in the later 11th century. They no longer had much influence in Fatimid politics. Berber foot as there were may have been equipped like those of the Berber armies of the Maghrib, which were based around stationary foot armed with spears and shields
Militia – Current depictions work well.
Ayyubids Force
Salahiyya - The Salahiyya was Saladin’s personal mamluk guard; those closest to him. Some older sources refer to this group as Royal Mamlukes - described by Baha al-Din ibn Shaddad as being the "Burning Coals of Islam".
Toassin - Toassin provided the core of Saladin's Egyptian army, and are the toassin referred to be William of Tyre. However I wonder about whether or not there was actually a division called Tawashi, also referred to as toassin. Toassin, comes from William of Tyre. I haven't come across tawashi as a cavalry force in Arabic sources. The majority of Ghulam came from detachments from various towns and were funded by emirs. How Saladin combined them when the local askari came together is still a matter of concern and needs further study. Tawashi in arabic is a eunuch. I am aware that eunuchs trained Ghulam. But I have not come across anything to suggest they were an actual cavalry unit of slave soldiers. Baha al-Din, al-Harawi, or Amid al-Din make no reference of a tawashi / toassin unit however they clearly mention Ghulam and qaraghulam.
Qaraghulams - Medium Horse Archers
Kurdish Cavalry – Heavy cavalry either as melee or lance troops
Turcomans – Light horse archers
Mutatawiyah - “volunteers” Saladin made little use of professional infantry, when they were needed he would employ these often religously inspired irregulars. Light infantry.
