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>The Beauty of Byzantine Women
Byzantine women were renowned for their beauty and Byzantines of both sexes for their attractiveness. In Tabaqat al-'Umam, Sa'id al-Andalusi says that the king of Rum is called the king of human beings because his subjects are those who have the most beautiful faces among all human beings, the best built-bodies and the most robust constitutions [1] Mas'udi calls the king of Rum, king of men, because "there is not on earth any people with a more perfect physiognomy or with more handsome face". [2]
We can deduce from various adab works and special manuals the prevalent Arab typology of beauty by which the beauty of Byzantine women can be assessed. The light-colored Byzantine women attracted the attention of the writers and commentators who favored whiteness. Byzantine women were described as being white blondes, with lank hair and blue eyes.[3]
>The false prophet Muhammad motivated his men to wage Jihad by promising them the beautiful white Byzantine women as war booty.
A clear reference to the allure of Byzantine women is contained in the biography of the Prophet, one that takes the attractive looks of Byzantine women as a given: "During one of the incursions led by the Prophet Muhammad, the Prophet asked Djadd Ibn Qais of Banu Salima whether he would like to fight the Byzantines, Banu al-Asfar and Jadd replied: 'Will you allow me to stay behind so as not to be tempted, for everyone knows that I am deeply attracted to [white] women and I am afraid that if I see the Byzantine women, I shall not be able to control myself."'[4]
It was in connection with this incident that the Qur'anic verse descended: "Some of them there are that say, "Give me leave and do not tempt me."
[1] Al-Andalusi (d. 426/1070) 1967, p. 13.
[2] Al-Mas'udi, (d. 354/956) 1966, vol. 1, p. 169 and pp. 189-90.
[3] Al-Munadjid1 969, pp. 67-8
[4] Ibn Hishaam, vol. 4, p. 170; translation Guillaume 1955, p. 603.
(to be continued)