"One day I was on horseback in attendance on [Saladin], face-to-face with the Franks, when one of the forward pickets arrived with a woman in great distress, bitterly weeping and continually beating her breast." This poignant moment underscores the human tragedy amid the chaos of the battlefield, illustrating how personal suffering intertwined with the larger narrative of the Crusades.
"Many, if not most, soldiers were poorly paid. Even the upmarket knights were often forced into penury when the logistics of crusading...went spectacularly wrong." This highlights the economic struggles faced by those engaged in the military campaigns, showcasing their desperation for financial gain.
"At the bottom end of the spectrum were those who specialized in the theft of children, exploiting the financial possibilities offered by the very active slave markets of the Muslim world." This statement reveals the dark and exploitative side of warfare, where even children became collateral in the brutal economics of conflict.
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