Yusuf ibn Tashfin's (Ben Yusus) Black Guard

[skb777]

Named because of the ethnicity the general painting guide seems to be they wore all black like some sort of Feudal SAS. ANy ideas or if it a case of all bets are off and do what though eill?

Also who were the Abid Saririya?

[Duncan Head]

I only know saririya as a name for infantry with unusually long spears, or pikes, in the Fatimid army in Egypt. The information comes, IIRC, from the late William Hamblin's thesis on the Fatimid army. Whether they were 'abid (slaves) or not I don't know.

[nikgaukroger]

Hamblin is where I came across them. Don't recall them being described as part of 'abid troops, but could have been.

[skb777]

I've downloaded the paper thanks vhaps