Thirteenth-century Muslims proved impervious to both Christian arms and missionaries

Evidence

By the end of the thirteenth century and in the following centuries, as the Ottomans obtained hegemony over Anatolia and pushed their way into Europe, few Europeans were optimistic about Christian chances to defeat Islam or to wrest the Holy Land from Muslim control; the calls to crusade were in general for the defense against Ottoman advances into Europe. In this atmosphere, it is the hostile view of Islam of people like Fidentius of Padua that is to dominate European discourse on Islam, rather than the positive portrayal of De statu Sarracenorum or of Burchard of Mount Sion. The “beast” whose imminent demise Innocent III had predicted showed few signs of weakness or defeat; thirteenth-century Muslims proved impervious not only to Christian arms (everywhere but in Spain) but also to Christian missionaries. — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 1093