82 TheIslamicateContext
up,
marginal
areasoldiersoftenwillingly
and
joyfully
reveledin
it.This
easy
lifeso
badly
underminedtheir
courage
andhardi-
nessthat
already
theirown
offspring
lackedtheir
power;
their
sons
fought
nobetterthanothermenborninthe
polity
and
theirgrandsonsmight
have
fought
evenlesswell.Thelossin
martialvirtueswasboth
rapid
and
permanent.Eventually,
"the
warrior
distinguishes
himselffromtheartisan
only
byhisin-
ability
towork;themenof
marginal
areas
differfromcivilized
men
only
intheir
clothing.
TM
IbnKhaldfin
devotes muchattention
tothe reasons forthe
decay
of
dynasties.
He
specifies
threeelementsinthis
process:
the love of
glory (which destroys "a4.atYya, group-feeling),
in-
dulgence
inluxuries
(whichdestroys
theeconomy),
andtran-
quillity(which
underminesthesoldiers’ martial
qualities).
He
makesthe
followingpoints
aboutthelossofmartial
qualities:
When people
become accustomed to
tranquillity
andrestand
adopt
themascharactertraits,
they
become
part
oftheirnature
Thenew
generationsgrowup
incomfortandtheeaseof
luxury
and
tranquillity.
Thetraitof
savagery(which
former
generations
had
possessed)undergoes
transformation.
Theyforget
thecustoms
ofdesertlifethatenabledthemtoachieve
royalauthority,
suchas
greatenergy,
thehabitof
rapacity,
andthe
ability
totravelinthe
wildernessandfindone’s
way
inwaste
regions.
Nodifferencere-
mainsbetweenthemandordinarycitydwellers,except
fortheir
(fighting)
skillandemblems.
Besides
lapsing
intocomfortableindolence,
grandsons
of
war-
riorslosttheother
advantages
ofthe
marginal
areas,their
good
health, strictcodes,
independentspirit,
andlackofalienation
fromthe
government.
As
they
becameidenticalto
government
areamen,
the
army
sufferedfrom
a
lossin
soldierlyqualities.
This
degeneration
of
marginalarea
soldiersforcedtherulerand
militaryleadership
toseekoutnewsourcesofsoldiers.
However,itwas
possible
for
marginal
areasoldiersto
keep
theirmartialskillsandavoiddeteriorationby
maintaining
their
61.Ibar,6:3.
62.Muq,1:341-42.