Ibn al-Qalanisi

Hamza ibn Asad Abu Ya'la al-Qalanisi was born into an aristocratic family in Damascus and received a high administrative and legal education. He twice served as ra'is (mayor and chief magistrate) of Damascus, directing municipal defenses, diplomacy, and civil administration during the tumultuous early decades of the Crusades.

His historical chronicle, Dhail Tarikh Dimashq (Continuation of the History of Damascus), covers the years 1056 to 1160. Written from the perspective of an experienced civic leader and eyewitness, it is the primary contemporary Arab historical source for the arrival of the First Crusade, the siege of Antioch, and the defense of Damascus during the Second Crusade in 1148.