A GLIMPSE ON THE USE OF THE HARRAQAS IN THE RED SEA AND ON THE NILE FROM THE FATIMID TILL THE END OF MAMLUK PERIODS

Abstract

In the Medieval period, domination of the seas meant holding both the regional power and the power over trade, and that is the reason why the high seas witnessed numerous struggles throughout history. Over time, trade relations between states gained an international dimension due to advances in shipbuilding technology. Ships were the means of transport used for military and commercial purposes. One of the types utilized in Middle Ages was the harraqa, which was designed to attack enemy ships by means of fire. The present study intends to determine the reasons for the use of the vessels called harraqas, by whom they were utilized and their functions in the Red Sea and on the Nile River in the light of classical Arabic sources.