What compelled these Turks to fight for Christians? were they Muslim ?

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65KB, 788x675px

Also i'm more curious about the ones that fought for the Byzantines than crusaders. Were they called Turcopoles as well? how did they end up their service?

>>2978888
Trying to rationalize the animalistic behaviors of the subhuman turks is impossible.

money

surely the saracens could pay them?

>>2978888
Money, loot, adventure, temporary protection from political/familial trouble, honoring personal friendships, etc. You had Muslims and Chrisitians fighting for both sides throughout the Mediterranean. The Turks in Crusader or Byzantine service were hardly any different from the Granadine Moors who fought for Aragon.

>>2978888

Local Syrian Muslims fought for the crusaders too, IIRC.

The Crusades weren't so much 'kill or convert the infidel' so much as it was 'my team controls the checkpoint!'

>>2978945
>>2978959
i've always had a hunch that the crusades are way more politicized nowadays than it was when it actually occured .

you dont hear much about Christians fighting on the other side tho, except for many centuries later when the Serbians fought on the Turkish side at Nicopolis

>>2978979
>you dont hear much about Christians fighting on the other side tho, except for many centuries later when the Serbians fought on the Turkish side at Nicopolis

If Medieval 2 Total war is to be believed, Moorish rulers in Spain had Christians as bodyguards, because Christians had no chance of making themselves rulers of Moorish states.

>>2978979
You had Christian knights regularly fighting as mercenaries for Muslim princes in North Africa. El Cid himself even. You don't hear much about either situation.