Family Saydjari Blog

I suppose I used to resent that all too common a question. When asked about my origin I used to say truthfully that I was… Read More »No, I mean where are you really from?

There is an old Bedouin saying that roughly translates “there can be no religion without virtue”. On our family websites page on the Crusades, this… Read More »“There can be no religion without virtue”

Usamah ibn Munqidh al-Shayzari was a trusted advisor and friend to Saladin. In addition, Saladin admired Usamah as a poet and carried an anthology of… Read More »Saladin and the Saydjari Clan

The full quote by James Baldwin is: “I am what time, circumstance, history, have made of me, certainly, but I am also, much more than… Read More »I am what time, circumstance, history, have made of me…

Fate may be an impregnable fortress but the old family castle is a shadow of its former glory. It has been studied extensively by archaeological… Read More »“Fate is indeed an impregnable fortress” – Usama ibn Munqidh

As we researched the legacy project we found more and more corroborating information that gave credence to my father’s often flamboyant stories. It would seem… Read More »Crusades and the Saydjari Family

This project is in all ways a labor of love. The primary purpose is one of legacy; something to pass on to our children.

When we first started writing about our family I was stunned at the numerous variants of our last name found throughout Syria and the world… Read More »What’s in a Name?