Re: Peaceful Conquests
Zanji were originally Abbysinian and Arab half breeds but gradually the term was used for any black or half arab half black soldier class. Most of them ended up forming an elite group in Modern day Syria which was the heart of Ummayad empire.
The habbit of keeping slave soldiers was a very high risk system, the Arabs by the later medieval stages were largely settled communites, while the early Turks were no different to the Mongols and Huns of the Steppes and made better fighters becuase they had no home or hearth as such.
For a long time they served as slaves but it was only until they were exposed to Sufi saints and other theoligians that they learned it was right to stand up for Islam and not blindly follow orders from thier arab Masters.
In particular the Turkic slave soldiers often rebelled when they thought the Arabs were cheating them and Islam, especially during the crusades were many Arab leaders were quick to negotiate terms or even give up gained territory which obviously infuriated the soldiers who fought so hard to make such gains.
During the 5th and 6th Crusades against Egypt the Ayubid dynasty was in fact saved twice by Mamluk “slave” soldiers who held up the front line, and allowed the crusaders to be stalled and eventually pushed back… but when treaties were signed that let the Crusaders march away rather than hold them and try and cut them off in enemy territory the Mamluks took up arms.
Also against the Mongols most Arabs were quick to surrender or flee and it was only the Mamluks who had the same skill levels and stiff backbone to stand up to the invaders. Ain Jalut was an interesting battle becuase the Mongols and Turks were very simmilar forces but the Mamluk Turks had the advantage of better terrain and horses and they were just as good horse archers as the mongols.