Medieval writers imagined polygamy as a Muslim demographic war weapon

Evidence

In the chanson, ‘Godefroid de Bouillon’, the Caliph, hearing that the First Crusade threatens Islam, commands every Muslim to bring the number of his wives up to six (in order that there shall be more children to fill the armies). Ed. Hippeau, p. 88. The idea recurs from time to time, either, as here, that Muslims have many women, in order to have children who will fight against Christendom; or, more reasonably, that Muhammad married many wives in order to have sons. — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 2185 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Christian horror at Muslim divorce masked an unspoken fear of polyandry; One medieval writer read polygamy as Islamic law’s cure for covetousness; Medieval polemic framed Muslim polygamy as a breeding strategy against Christendom — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 2185 (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Medieval polemic framed Muslim polygamy as a breeding strategy against Christendom #corroborates (0.95) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 2185