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MARONITE OR SYRIAN CHRISTIAN
An extract from Armies and Enemies of the Crusades 1096-1291by Ian Heath
15. MARONITE OR SYRIAN CHRISTIAN
This shows the probable appearance of Maronites and the few Syrian soldiers in Frankish armies. The native Christians wore the same basic dress as Moslems (Burchard of Mount Sion says they were distinguished by ‘a woollen girdle’) and were in fact forbidden by legislation to wear Frankish-style clothes. They also differed from the Franks in growing long beards of which they were extremely proud (Jacques de Vitry relating how they ‘cherish them with great care, and specially glory in them’).
The composite bow was the principal weapon of the Maronites, and de Vitry records that the few warlike Syrians also ‘use bows and arrows, but are unarmoured and ready for running away’ (though this may he a reference to Turcopoles).
Some Maronite chieftains at least fought on horseback and wore armour, and various sources attest the taking of considerable amounts of arms and armour from the Moslems, which was undoubtedly reused after capture. Many armoured Maronites would therefore have been indistinguishable from Saracens, and it was fairly certainly for the purpose of recognition that one Maronite chieftain is recorded as having the sign of the cross on his armour. Some Frankish equipment was undoubtedly also in use.
