This article explores the impact of the early Crusades on libraries in Greater Syria, with a particular focus on Tripoli's renowned House of Wisdom. After the city's Crusader conquest in 1109, this organisation's library disappears from historical sources. Modern scholarship has largely remained silent on this issue. However, popular modern accounts have filled this gap, suggesting the complete destruction of the library, especially the burning of its books. The discovery of a fragment from a Tripoli codex provides the first tangible evidence regarding the fate of the library's books. Textual and material analysis of the fragment indicates that it experienced multiple stages of capture and ransom, evidenced by damage and repairs, illustrating the complex trajectory of books during wartime across regions. The study advocates for a broader understanding of book history that emphasises mobility, ownership and survival, highlighting the resilience and persistent circulation of written artefacts during times of conflict.
BT - Al-Masāq: Journal of the Medieval Mediterranean LA - English N2 -This article explores the impact of the early Crusades on libraries in Greater Syria, with a particular focus on Tripoli's renowned House of Wisdom. After the city's Crusader conquest in 1109, this organisation's library disappears from historical sources. Modern scholarship has largely remained silent on this issue. However, popular modern accounts have filled this gap, suggesting the complete destruction of the library, especially the burning of its books. The discovery of a fragment from a Tripoli codex provides the first tangible evidence regarding the fate of the library's books. Textual and material analysis of the fragment indicates that it experienced multiple stages of capture and ransom, evidenced by damage and repairs, illustrating the complex trajectory of books during wartime across regions. The study advocates for a broader understanding of book history that emphasises mobility, ownership and survival, highlighting the resilience and persistent circulation of written artefacts during times of conflict.
PY - 2026 SE - 1 SP - 132 EP - 150 T2 - Al-Masāq: Journal of the Medieval Mediterranean TI - Destroyed Books, Ransomed Books, Mobile Books: The Early Crusades and the Fate of Tripoli’s Library VL - 38 ER -