An epic poem converted Muhammad into a powerless idol to justify crusade conquest

Evidence

A French epic poem from the twelfth century, The Song of Antioch, provides us with a clear example of how a Christian author portrayed Saracens as pagans to justify the actions of the First Crusade, particularly the conquest of Antioch. In the poem, the author implicates both the pagans of Rome and the Jews for the crucifixion of Jesus. With Saracens serving as contemporary stand-ins for Roman pagans, they, along with Jews, must be defeated in the name of Christ and for the sake of divine vengeance. The author even appropriates the figure of Muhammad into the Saracen pagan cult. Muhammad takes the form of an idol named Mahomes, suspended in midair by magnets. When the Saracen general, Sansadoines, is defeated, he destroys the idol, demonstrating in the process how powerless Mahomes was to protect the Saracens from defeat. — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 126

Categorization

• XREF: The magnets-and-idol depiction of Muhammad is a specific recurring western trope worth tracing across centuries. — connects to: Crusaders justified conquest by recasting Muslims as pagan Roman idolaters — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 125; A Qur’anic verse was distorted into an incitement to fight non-Muslims — Asena Karipek, Portrayals of Jihad: A Cause of…, 46; Medieval depictions of Islam as heresy served to justify violence and resist conversion — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 139 (+2 more)
• SEED: Angle: the image of Muhammad as a dangling powerless idol as an early prototype of mocking polemic against Islam.
• FICTION: The magnet-hovering idol Mahomes is a vivid imaginative image for retelling or worldbuilding.

Broader Connections

• Medieval depictions of Islam as heresy served to justify violence and resist conversion #corroborates (0.80) — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 139
• Medieval passion plays made Muhammad the god of Christ’s Jewish and Roman tormentors #exemplifies (0.70)
• A Qur’anic verse was distorted into an incitement to fight non-Muslims #expands (0.60) — Asena Karipek, Portrayals of Jihad, 46
• The heresy view of Islam predated the crusades in John of Damascus’ writings #complicates (0.60) — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 128