Conversion of Saracen rulers to Christianity pivoted on saintly power over own idols.

Evidence

The Saracen military victory is complete, the only Christian survivor being an (again, nameless) “Preudome” captured while praying to his icon of Saint Nicolas, which the Saracens mistake for a “mahommet.” Yet Nicolas produces a miracle for the king: he appears in a dream to three robbers who have stolen the king’s treasure and frightens them into bringing it back. The king acknowledges the power of the saint and converts, along with all his men. — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 706

Categorization

• XREF: The Saracens’ mistaking a Christian icon for a ‘mahommet’ shows how fully the Latin West identified Islam with idol-worship; connects to earlier chapters on Muhammad as idol-god.